In tenth century usage, the term nikki (or niki) designates "records of [historical] events" as well as the documents of such events, a fact which is evident from the sense of the term niki seshimu as used in such nikki as the Shoyuki and the Gonki. This is what is intended by the term niki as it appears in the opening line of the "Tosa Diary" for example. And it was precisely for this reason that the author of the "Kagero Nikki" suggests that a record of the life of even an unremarkable woman would be unusual enough, as such, to merit interest.What then was the occasion for the emergence of what has since come to be known as "diary literature" (nikki bungaku) from the antecedent genre of niki in full possession of a distinct "style"? It would appear that this occasion was the appearance of a certain thought of Time. In this respect, the diaries of the middle ages are suggestive, evincing an intensification of interest in some of the concerns of Heian diary literature, notably motifs such as the journey, death, recollection, etc,, and the sentiments implicated in the term "hakanashi" (futility, epemerality). Such sentiments are essential to the diaries of Minamoto Michichika, for example. But the similarities thereof to the Eigamonogatari does not suffice to draw these diaries into trans- generic proximity with the narrative style of the Eiga. On the contrary, the affinities with the "Kagero Nikki" are stronger, to the extent the style of Michichika's diaries should be understood within a tradition initiated by the Heian diaries. Again, niki as a "record of events," once the factor of time is removed, is open to transformation into narrative (monogatari). Is it true, for example, that "Izumi Shikibu Nikki" is the original title of the work now known under that name ? Even if it is, the sense intended must have been simply a "record of events". This may be indicative of the fluidity of the boundaries dividing the sense of the term nikki from that of monogatari. Such evidence of generic confusion even suggests that the stylistic identity of the 'same' text may be transformed, recreated through changes in the perception of that text by different generations of readers.
抄録全体を表示