Katai Tayama
Encyclopedia
Katai Tayama was a Japanese author. His most famous works include Inaka Kyōshi (田舎教師, "Rural Teacher") and Futon (蒲団). He is noted for establishing the Japanese literary genre of naturalistic
I novel
s which revolve around the detailed self-examinations of an introspective author. He also wrote about his experiences in the Russo-Japanese War
.
, Gunma Prefecture
, into a shizoku (i.e. former samurai
) family, at the time of the abolition of the privileges of that rank. His father entered the police force to support the household and was killed in April 1877 during the Satsuma Rebellion
. Katai was sent with his elder brother and sister to Tokyo, where he entered a bookshop as an apprentice, but he lost his position and returned to Tatebayashi in 1882.
The whole family moved to Tokyo in 1886, and Tayama attended the poetry classes of Matsuura Tatsuo (Hagitsubo, 1844-1909) before appealing to Kōyō Ozaki in 1891 for help in beginning a literary career; he soon fell out with Ozaki however, and it was Suiin Emi
who helped Tayama establish himself as a travel writer. He joined the Bungakukai
group in 1896, and became friends with Kunikida Doppo
, who introduced him to the works of Western writers such as Guy Maupassant, by which he was profoundly influenced. Tayama married in February 1899; his mother died in August, and in September he joined the staff of the newspaper Hakubunkan
. In 1902 he achieved his first success with Jūemon no saigo, which was inspired by Hermann Sudermann
's Katzensteg. In 1904 he was sent to Manchuria
as a war correspondent. This experience led him to write stories such as Ippeisotsu ("One Soldier", 1908).
In 1903 a female admirer, Michiyo Okada (1885-1968), had written to him; apparently influenced by Gerhart Hauptmann
's play Einsame Menschen, Tayama gave the fan permission to come to Tokyo as a literary pupil. She arrived in February 1904, but was a houseguest for only a month before he left for Manchuria on 23 March; after his return on 20 September, she moved back in, and stayed until January 1906. He did not begin an affair, but used the romantic tension as material for his most ambitious work yet, Futon (1907), which made his name as a writer, and established the Japanese literary genre known as the I Novel
— although in fact Futon is largely recounted in the third person. (In January 1909, Okada was disinherited by her family, and Tayama adopted her as a daughter.) In 1907 he embarked instead on an affair with a geisha named Yone Iida (1889-?); this experience was unhappy, and punctuated by the deaths of friends and family members, with the result that his later works take on an obscure, pessimistic and religious tone. But in 1923 his bravery during the Great Kantō Earthquake (during which he rescued Iida from a river) cemented their relationship. He continued to write until his death from throat cancer in 1930.
Naturalism (literature)
Naturalism was a literary movement taking place from the 1880s to 1940s that used detailed realism to suggest that social conditions, heredity, and environment had inescapable force in shaping human character...
I novel
I Novel
is a literary genre in Japanese literature used to describe a type of confessional literature where the events in the story correspond to events in the author's life. This genre was founded based on the Japanese reception of Naturalism during the Meiji period. Many authors believed form reflected...
s which revolve around the detailed self-examinations of an introspective author. He also wrote about his experiences in the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
.
Life
He was born in TatebayashiTatebayashi, Gunma
is a city located in Gunma, Japan.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 79,755, with a household number of 34,413, and the density of 1,307.89 persons per km²...
, Gunma Prefecture
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
, into a shizoku (i.e. former samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
) family, at the time of the abolition of the privileges of that rank. His father entered the police force to support the household and was killed in April 1877 during the Satsuma Rebellion
Satsuma Rebellion
The was a revolt of Satsuma ex-samurai against the Meiji government from January 29 to September 24, 1877, 9 years into the Meiji Era. It was the last, and the most serious, of a series of armed uprisings against the new government.-Background:...
. Katai was sent with his elder brother and sister to Tokyo, where he entered a bookshop as an apprentice, but he lost his position and returned to Tatebayashi in 1882.
The whole family moved to Tokyo in 1886, and Tayama attended the poetry classes of Matsuura Tatsuo (Hagitsubo, 1844-1909) before appealing to Kōyō Ozaki in 1891 for help in beginning a literary career; he soon fell out with Ozaki however, and it was Suiin Emi
Suiin Emi
was a Japanese novelist and journalist.Born in Okayama into a shizoku family, he travelled to Tokyo to join the army but instead joined the Kenyūsha literary society and quickly became celebrated during the Sino-Japanese War for his patriotic stories in the newspaper Chūō Shinbun.A pillar of the...
who helped Tayama establish himself as a travel writer. He joined the Bungakukai
Bungakukai
is a Japanese monthly literary magazine published by Bungeishunjū as oriented publication. The first version of Bungakukai was launched in 1890s. Along with Shinchō, Gunzo, Bungei and Subaru, it is one of the five leading literary journals in Japan. It runs a contest for newcomer writers...
group in 1896, and became friends with Kunikida Doppo
Kunikida Doppo
was a Japanese author of novels and romantic poetry during the Meiji period, noted as one of the inventors of Japanese naturalism.-Early life:Kunikida Doppo was born in Chōshi, Chiba prefecture. His real name was Kunikida Tetsuo. While some doubt exists as to his biological father, Doppo was raised...
, who introduced him to the works of Western writers such as Guy Maupassant, by which he was profoundly influenced. Tayama married in February 1899; his mother died in August, and in September he joined the staff of the newspaper Hakubunkan
Hakubunkan
is a Japanese publishing company founded in 1887 amidst the wealth and military prosperity of the Meiji era. Hakubunkan entered the publishing arena by printing a nationalist magazine as well as expanding into printing, advertising, paper manufacturing, and related businesses, becoming one of...
. In 1902 he achieved his first success with Jūemon no saigo, which was inspired by Hermann Sudermann
Hermann Sudermann
Hermann Sudermann was a German dramatist and novelist.- Early career :He was born at Matzicken, a village just to the east of Heydekrug in the Province of Prussia , close to the Russian frontier...
's Katzensteg. In 1904 he was sent to Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
as a war correspondent. This experience led him to write stories such as Ippeisotsu ("One Soldier", 1908).
In 1903 a female admirer, Michiyo Okada (1885-1968), had written to him; apparently influenced by Gerhart Hauptmann
Gerhart Hauptmann
Gerhart Hauptmann was a German dramatist and novelist who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1912.-Life and work:...
's play Einsame Menschen, Tayama gave the fan permission to come to Tokyo as a literary pupil. She arrived in February 1904, but was a houseguest for only a month before he left for Manchuria on 23 March; after his return on 20 September, she moved back in, and stayed until January 1906. He did not begin an affair, but used the romantic tension as material for his most ambitious work yet, Futon (1907), which made his name as a writer, and established the Japanese literary genre known as the I Novel
I Novel
is a literary genre in Japanese literature used to describe a type of confessional literature where the events in the story correspond to events in the author's life. This genre was founded based on the Japanese reception of Naturalism during the Meiji period. Many authors believed form reflected...
— although in fact Futon is largely recounted in the third person. (In January 1909, Okada was disinherited by her family, and Tayama adopted her as a daughter.) In 1907 he embarked instead on an affair with a geisha named Yone Iida (1889-?); this experience was unhappy, and punctuated by the deaths of friends and family members, with the result that his later works take on an obscure, pessimistic and religious tone. But in 1923 his bravery during the Great Kantō Earthquake (during which he rescued Iida from a river) cemented their relationship. He continued to write until his death from throat cancer in 1930.
External links
- Find-A-Grave biography (with picture)
- Katai Tayama's grave