紀要論文

<若手研究者論文> イソップ寓話「蟻と蝉／キリギリス」のパロディにみる風刺の眼差し : The Fables of Æsop and Others Translated into Human Natureと『絵入教訓近道』の挿絵比較を通して

<Research Article of Young Researcher> A Satirical Perspective in the Parody of Æsop's Fable ‘The Ant and The Grasshopper’ : The Fables of Æsop and Others Translated into Human Nature and Eiri-kyoukun-chikamichi

jpn

18838596

https://doi.org/10.15002/00031328

法政大学国際日本学研究所

22

193

220

2025-02-28

Version of Record

This article compares from a satirical perspective two parodies of Æsop’ s fables, specifically ‘The Ant and The Grasshopper/Cicada,’ published in London and Edo: Charles Henry Bennett's The Fables of Æsop and Others Translated into Human Nature (London, 1857) and Eiri-kyoukun-chikamichi (Edo, 1844), written by Tamenaga Shunsui and illustrated by Utagawa Sadashige. The fable’s themes—such as prudence versus dissipation, diligence versus laziness, capital versus labor, and views on social welfare and art— are interpreted differently based on regional and temporal contexts, reflecting societal issues and values. First, Bennett portrays the ant and the grasshopper as representatives of the wealthy class accumulating wealth and the laborers being exploited. Bennett utilizes the fable’s inherent contrast to clearly criticize the upper class. On the other hand, the work by Shunsui and Sadashige, published under the regulations of the Tenpō Reforms, maintains the outward appearance of a didactic text to avoid violating censorship. However, this paper proposes an interpretation of Sadashige’s illustrations, in which the family of ants is portrayed as merchants, who were the bearers of Edo’s urban culture, while the cicada represents shamisen players involved in theatrical performances and vaudeville, which were subject to government regulations. In other words, Sadashige's illustrations seem to reinterpret the relationship between the two characters, and the target of satire is neither the ant nor the cicada but rather the shogunate itself. In conclusion, a comparison of these two works clearly highlights the differences in the nature of satire in the mid-19th century in both countries, heavily influenced by their respective social systems. In England, political satire and politicians had already formed a mutual relationship by the 18th century, while in Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate, such expressions were strictly regulated. Therefore, the explicit satirical tone found in Bennett's work is absent in the pieces by Shunsui and Sadashige. Whereas Bennett emphasized the contrast between the ant and the grasshopper to directly condemn the disparity between rich and poor, Sadashige subtly critiques the shogunate's policies by presenting the ant and the cicada in parallel. This analysis suggests the possibility of an early attempt at satire using Æsop fables during the Tenpō era in Japan.

Article

AA11914954