Modern literature

The largest coterie magazine related to postwar literature. First published in January 1946, it was suspended several times before ceasing publication in August 1964. It has a total of 185 issues. At the time of its founding, the coterie magazine consisted of seven members: Honda Shugo, Hirano Ken, Yamamuro Shizuka, Haniya Yutaka, Ara Masahito, Sasaki Kiichi, and Odagiri Hideo. All of them experienced their youth during the final period of the proletarian literature movement. They witnessed the failure and conversion of the movement, and endured the psychological pressure of the "dark valley" during the war, while deepening their friendships and relying on coterie magazines such as "Hihyo," "Kousou," and "Gendai Bungaku," they ignited the fire of energy that had been building up all at once since Japan's defeat in World War II. Honda's "Art, History, Humanity" was the lead article of the first issue, which looked at history and declared the autonomy of literature from politics. Hirano's essay on Shimazaki Toson's "Shinsei" and Haniya's "Shirei" were published. This was followed by Ara's "Second Youth" and Sasaki's "Revival of Individuality". This sparked a debate between him and Nakano Shigeharu on "politics and literature". It was one of the first to evaluate the work of Noma Hiroshi and Shiina Rinzo, and then expanded its membership twice, to include Hanada Kiyoteru, Hirata Jisaburo, Noma Hiroshi, Fukunaga Takehiko, Kato Shuichi, Nakamura Shinichiro, Abe Kobo, Takeda Taijun, and Hara Tamiki, and came to be seen as a base for the postwar generation, but opinions among its members were divided, and it eventually reverted to its original form. Later, it provided a platform for new writers, such as up-and-coming critics and Ogawa Kunio, Tsuji Kunio, and Tachihara Masaaki. It is a leading coterie magazine comparable to Bungakukai, which featured Toson Shimazaki and Tokoku Kitamura, and Shirakaba, which featured Saneatsu Mushanokoji and Naoya Shiga. There is a reprint edition (120 volumes, 1981-82) published by the National Museum of Modern Japanese Literature.

[Toshiro Akano]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

戦後派文学にまつわる最大の同人雑誌。1946年（昭和21）1月創刊。数回の休刊を挟み、64年8月終刊。全185冊。創刊時点の同人は本多秋五(ほんだしゅうご)、平野謙(けん)、山室静(やまむろしずか)、埴谷雄高(はにやゆたか)、荒正人(あらまさひと)、佐々木基一(きいち)、小田切秀雄(おだぎりひでお)の7人。いずれもプロレタリア文学運動の最末期のなかで青春期を体験。その運動の挫折(ざせつ)、転向の状況を目撃し、戦時下の「暗い谷間」の心理的圧迫に耐えつつ、友情を深め、『批評』『構想』『現代文学』などの同人雑誌に拠(よ)り、第二次世界大戦の敗戦をまって一挙に蓄積したエネルギーの火を点火した。歴史を展望しながら、政治に対する文学の自律を宣言した本多の『芸術　歴史　人間』が創刊号の巻頭論文。平野の島崎藤村(とうそん)の『新生』論、埴谷の『死霊(しれい)』などを掲載。続いて荒の『第二の青春』、佐々木の『個性復興』などを刊行。中野重治(しげはる)との間に「政治と文学」論争を勃発(ぼっぱつ)させた。野間宏(ひろし)や椎名麟三(しいなりんぞう)らの仕事をいち早く評価、ついで二度にわたって同人を拡大し、花田清輝(きよてる)、平田次三郎、野間宏、福永武彦、加藤周一、中村真一郎、安部公房(こうぼう)、武田泰淳(たいじゅん)、原民喜(たみき)らが参加、戦後派の拠点とみなされるようになったが、同人の間での意見も分かれ、やがて最初の同人に復した。のちには新進評論家や小川国夫、辻邦生(つじくにお)、立原正秋(たちはらまさあき)ら新人に発表の場を与えた。島崎藤村や北村透谷(とうこく)らの『文学界』、武者小路実篤(むしゃのこうじさねあつ)や志賀直哉(しがなおや)らの『白樺(しらかば)』に匹敵する同人雑誌の雄。日本近代文学館刊の復刻版（120冊、1981～82）がある。

［紅野敏郎］

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