Heinrich von Kleist

Japanese: クライスト - くらいすと（英語表記）Heinrich von Kleist

German playwright and novelist. Born on October 18th into a Prussian military family. He joined the Potsdam Guard Regiment and rose to the rank of second lieutenant, but left the military (1799), choosing to pursue happiness and truth in life as inner questions for himself. He studied at a university in his hometown of Frankfurt (on the Oder River), got engaged, and explored the possibility of becoming a civil servant. He was shocked to read Kant's philosophy into the impossibility of absolute knowledge. He traveled to Paris, where he came to dislike life in the big city and became increasingly inclined towards Rousseau, and aspired to become a farmer in the Swiss countryside. He broke off his relationship with his fiance, who did not agree with him, and began full-scale creative work in solitude (1802). A series of letters addressed to his fiance are a unique record that convey the state of mind of the young man that led to the birth of a writer. In Switzerland, he completed his first work, The Schroffensteins (a tragedy), but was unable to complete his ambitious tragedy, Robert Guiscard, and became a wanderer, plagued by mental and physical illness (1803). He rejoined the Prussian government, but did not last long there. During this period, his creative drive was restored. Prussia also surrendered to Napoleon, and he was captured by the French army, but he continued to write. He published the comedy, Anphitruon (1807). After his release, he moved to Dresden and began to actively engage in literary activities. He founded the monthly magazine, Phoebus, with A. Müller. He published plays, including the tragedy, Penthesilea, as well as short stories. During this time, the premiere of his comedy, The Broken Jug, was a failure, and he came into conflict with Goethe, who directed it. His hatred for Napoleon led him to write patriotic poems and plays. Berlin was the stage for his final activities (1810). He was friends with Romantic writers and published the Berlin Evening Newspaper, which also featured his own short stories and essays (such as Puppet Show). He presented the play The Prince of Homburg to the royal family. He published two volumes of Short Stories (1810-1811, including eight stories such as Michael Kohlhaas). On November 21, 1811, while in misery, he committed suicide with a pistol on the shores of Lake Wansee on the outskirts of Berlin with his wife. He was buried there, and it became his tomb.

Kleist wrote eight plays and eight short stories each in about ten years in the early 19th century. He displayed rare talent for both tragedy and comedy, which was rare for a German writer, and pioneered the full-fledged modern short story in prose, as well as playing a pioneering role in journalism. His works depict the shortcomings of human cognitive abilities (misperceptions and misunderstandings) and the resulting intense conflicts, but at the same time, they overcome these with absolute "emotions" deep within the ego, and attempt to restore trust with others and the outside world. The characters in his works have memories or foresights of heavenly happiness, and long for the reappearance and fulfillment of this happiness. The process of the establishment and collapse of temporary happiness unfolds dramatically, and the characters experience the extremes of joy and despair, love and hate. His deep penetration into the "mystery" of human existence and his radical expression break through the wisdom of the Enlightenment and the harmony of classicism. The motifs of dreams and doubles are common to the Romantics, but he does not get lost in subjective fantasy, and maintains the completeness of realistic form through his unparalleled writing ability. He cannot be limited to being a Prussian nationalist poet or a writer with a pathological and abnormal personality. Today, he is internationally recognized for his modernity as a pioneer of existentialist literature and the source of 20th century literature.

[Shirou Nakamura]

Characteristics of short stories

The two volumes of Short Stories (1810, 1811) contain eight famous short stories, including "Michael Kohlhaas," "The Marquise de O," "The Earthquake in Chile," "The Betrothal of the Island of Santo Domingo," and "The Duel." The following can be cited as charms and characteristics common to all of the works:

(1) The Independence of the Short Stories Kleist's short stories are no longer part of a long narrative that weaves together poems, nor are they part of a salon-style conversational sequence. Each story exists independently, with a complete content and form. The narrator also hides behind the subject of the story, and rarely makes subjective confessions in the story.

(2) Dramatic short stories Reflecting the skill of Tensei's playwright, they have a tight structure and powerful development, just like a play. They are also characterized by a shocking beginning. The extraordinary incident or situation that the protagonist is involved in is stated all at once at the beginning, with overwhelming writing power. This heavy beginning covers the subsequent development and the ending. Or a scene of calm like the eye of a storm in the midst of a turbulent storm. This fleeting scene, like the fulfillment of a life's dream, is impressive and poignant.

(3) Themes and Variations: Each of the eight short stories features interesting variations on the author's unique themes and motifs. The world reveals a contingent "fragile system" that speaks of the absence of God, while also hinting at the existence of a hidden God. The fates of people who are struck by abnormal events range from ruthless violent deaths and brutal deaths to rebellious deaths of rage and delirium, self-rehabilitation, and even salvation that hints at the will of God. The plot also ranges from tense, progressing in a straight line almost following the passage of real time, to a detective novel-like, zigzagging progression.

(4) Realism Kleist's short stories begin with a setting in a real time and place. Although he was a member of the Romantic generation, he also dared to use terrifying, realistic descriptions, and is considered a forerunner of realism. He also deals with strange and mysterious phenomena, but these instead reveal the dark landscape of the human psyche. His realism is, so to speak, existential realism. Kleist's short stories have been known in Japan since the two translated by Mori Ogai ("Earthquake" and "Evil Destiny").

[Shirou Nakamura]

"Kleist Masterpieces" translated by Miki Nakata et al. (1972, Hakusuisha)" ▽ "Kleist's Letters" translated by Kei Nakamura (1979, Toyo Shuppan) ▽ "Marquise O and Six Other Stories" translated by Morimine Sagara (Iwanami Bunko)"

[References] | The Broken Jug | Prince of Homburg | Michael Kohlhaas

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ドイツの劇作家、小説家。10月18日、プロイセンの軍人の家系に生まれる。ポツダムの近衛(このえ)連隊に入り少尉に進んだが、人生の幸福、真実を自己の内面の問題として追求する道を選び、軍籍を離れる（1799）。郷里フランクフルト（オーデル河畔）の大学に学び、婚約者を得、官吏の途を模索。カント哲学から絶対的認識の不可能を読み取り、衝撃を受ける。パリへ旅行する。この大都会の生活を嫌悪し、ルソーへの傾斜を強め、スイスの自然のなかで農夫を志す。不同意の婚約者と関係を絶ち、孤独のうちに本格的な創作活動に入る（1802）。婚約者あての一連の書簡は、作家誕生に至る青年の精神の所在を伝えるユニークな記録である。スイスでは処女作『シュロッフェンシュタイン一族』（悲劇）を書き上げるが、野心的悲劇『ローベルト・ギスカール』を完成できず放浪、心身の病に悩まされる（1803）。ふたたびプロイセンの役所に入るが、役所勤めは長続きしない。この時期、創作意欲を回復。プロイセンもナポレオンに屈伏し、フランス軍に捕らえられるが創作を続行。喜劇『アンフィートリュオン』を刊行（1807）。釈放後ドレスデンに移り、活発な文学活動を開始する。A・ミュラーと月刊誌『フェーブス』を創刊。悲劇『ペンテジレーア』をはじめとする戯曲のほか短編も発表。この間、喜劇『こわれ甕(がめ)』の初演が失敗し、演出したゲーテと確執。ナポレオンに対する憎悪から愛国的な詩や戯曲を書き下ろす。ベルリンを舞台に最後の活動を展開する（1810）。ロマン派の文人と交際し『ベルリン夕刊新聞』を発行、自作の短編やエッセイ（『人形芝居』ほか）も掲載。戯曲『ホンブルク公子』を王室に献上。『短編小説集』2巻（1810～1811、『ミヒャエル・コールハース』以下8編）を出版。不遇のうちに1811年11月21日、人妻とともにベルリン郊外ワンゼー湖畔でピストル自殺。その場に埋葬され、墓所となる。

　クライストは19世紀初頭のほぼ10年間に各8編の戯曲と短編を創作したが、ドイツの作家には珍しく悲劇と喜劇の両面で希有(けう)の才能を発揮し、散文では本格的な近代短編小説を開拓、ジャーナリズムの分野でも先駆的役割を果たした。人間の認識能力の不備（誤認・誤解）とそれに起因する激烈な葛藤(かっとう)を描くが、同時にこれを自我の内奥の絶対的「感情」によって克服し、他者や外界との信頼関係を回復しようとする。作中人物には天上的幸福の記憶あるいは予見があり、この幸福の再現、成就を熱望する。幸福のかりそめの成立と崩壊の過程が劇的に展開し、彼らは歓喜と絶望、愛と憎しみの両極を経験する。人間存在の「謎(なぞ)」の深部への肉薄と過激な表現は、啓蒙(けいもう)主義の悟性や古典主義の調和を突き破る。夢や分身のモチーフはロマン派と共通するが、主観的幻想に埋没せず、無類の筆力によってリアルな形式の完結性を保持する。彼をプロイセンの国粋的詩人あるいは病的異常性格の作家に限定することはできない。今日では実存主義文学の先駆ないし20世紀文学の源流として、その現代性は国際的にも評価されている。

［中村志朗］

短編の特徴

『短編小説集』2巻（1810、1811）には、『ミヒャエル・コールハース』をはじめ『O侯爵夫人』『チリの地震』『サント・ドミンゴ島の婚約』『決闘』など8編の名短編が収録されているが、全編に共通する魅力や特徴として次のようなことをあげることができる。

（1）短編の自立
　クライストの短編は、もはや詩歌を織り込む悠長な物語の一部でもなければ、社交の場（サロン）における談話調の連鎖形式の一部でもない。各短編は単独で存在し、完結した内容と形式をもつ。語り手も叙述の対象の背後に隠れ、主観的告白を作中に交えることはほとんどない。

（2）劇的短編
　天成の劇作家の手腕を反映し、戯曲同様の緊密な構成、迫力ある展開を示す。衝撃的な発端も特色。主人公を巻き込む異常な事件や状況が冒頭で一気に述べられ、その筆力は圧倒的。この重い発端はその後の展開や結末までも射程に収めている。あるいは動乱の嵐(あらし)のさなかに配される、台風の目のような静穏の場面。人生の夢が成就(じょうじゅ)したようなこのつかのまの場面は印象的で哀切である。

（3）主題と変奏
　作者特有の主題やモチーフの興味深い変奏を、8編の短編のそれぞれにおいて味わうことができる。世界は神の不在を物語る偶然的な「脆(もろ)い仕組み」を露呈する一方、隠れたる神の存在をも暗示する。異常事に襲われた人間の運命も、非情な横死や惨死から、反逆的憤死や錯乱狂気を経て、自力による更生、さらには神意を暗示する救済にまで及ぶ。筋の運びも、ほぼ現実の時間の経過に従って一直線に進行する緊迫したものから、ジグザグに進行する推理小説風のものまである。

（4）リアリズム
　クライストの短編は、現実の時間や場所の設定から始まる。ロマン主義の世代でありながら、戦慄(せんりつ)的な即物描写も敢行し、リアリズムの先駆と目される。怪奇的・神秘的事象も扱うが、そこにはむしろ人間の深層心理の暗い風景がのぞく。彼のリアリズムはいわば実存のリアリズムである。クライストの短編は、わが国でも森鴎外(おうがい)訳の2編（『地震』『悪因縁』）以来知られている。

［中村志朗］

『中田美喜他訳『クライスト名作集』（1972・白水社）』▽『中村啓訳『クライストの手紙』（1979・東洋出版）』▽『相良守峯訳『O侯爵夫人他六篇』（岩波文庫）』

[参照項目] | こわれ甕 | ホンブルク公子 | ミヒャエル・コールハース

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