At Kinosaki - At Kinosaki

A short story by Shiga Naoya. It was published in Shirakaba in May 1917 (Taisho 6). It was included in Yono Hikari (Light in the Night), published by Shinchosha in January 1918. The protagonist, "I," stays in Kinosaki Onsen to recuperate after being hit by the Yamanote Line. There, he witnesses scenes involving the life and death of a bee, a mouse, and a newt. The bee returns to the earth with indifference, the mouse fights against death even though it knows there is no hope, and the newt dies suddenly by chance. The author vividly depicts the three deaths of these small animals, overlapping them with his own experiences to explore the meaning of life and death, making this a masterpiece that is sublimated and brought to fruition as a novel of one's feelings.

[Toshiro Akano]

"At Kinosaki (Iwanami Bunko, Kadokawa Bunko, Kodansha Bunko, Shincho Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

志賀直哉(しがなおや)の短編小説。1917年（大正6）5月『白樺(しらかば)』に掲載。18年1月、新潮社刊の『夜の光』に収録。主人公の「私」は山手線にはねられた傷のあと養生のため城崎温泉に滞在。そこで蜂(はち)と鼠(ねずみ)といもりの生と死にまつわる状景を目撃する。無関心のまま土に帰する蜂、助からぬことを知りつつ死とあらがう鼠、偶然によるいもりの突然の死。この小動物の三つの死の姿をいきいきとした描写で示して、生きることと死ぬことの意味を自己の体験と重ね合わせ、心境小説として昇華結実させた名作。

［紅野敏郎］

『『城の崎にて』（岩波文庫・角川文庫・講談社文庫・新潮文庫）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例