The Abe Clan

A short story by Mori Ogai. It was published in the January 1913 (Taisho 2) issue of Chuokoron. It is a historical novel that takes up a tragic incident involving suicide by martyrdom that occurred in the Hosokawa Domain in Higo Province (Kumamoto Prefecture) during the Kan'ei era (1624-1644). Abe Yaichiemon was not allowed to commit suicide by martyrdom, and was criticized after his death, leading to him committing seppuku. His eldest son Gonbei was hanged for expressing dissatisfaction with the treatment that followed, and as a result, his younger brothers, the rest of the Abe clan, barricaded themselves in their house and were executed. This is a representative masterpiece of Ogai's historical novels, written with a cold, narrative pen, and involving the side of the lord, the assassins, and the other martyr victims.

[Hideo Isogai]

"The Abe Clan (Iwanami Bunko, Obunsha Bunko, Kadokawa Bunko, Kodansha Bunko, Shincho Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

森鴎外(おうがい)の短編小説。1913年（大正2）1月号の『中央公論』に発表。寛永(かんえい)年間（1624～1644）に肥後(ひご)国（熊本県）細川藩に起こった、殉死をめぐる悲劇的事件を取り上げた歴史小説。殉死の許しが得られず、死に遅れて批判され、追い腹を切った阿部弥一右衛門、その後の処置に不満の意を表明して、縛り首になった嫡子権兵衛、その結果、家に立てこもって誅罰(ちゅうばつ)されたその弟たち阿部一族。そういう悲劇を、主君側、討手側、他の殉死者側をも絡めて、冷徹な叙事的な筆でつづった、鴎外歴史小説の代表的名作。

［磯貝英夫］

『『阿部一族』（岩波文庫・旺文社文庫・角川文庫・講談社文庫・新潮文庫）』

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