Suzuki Miekichi

Novelist and children's writer. Born in Hiroshima City on September 29, 1882. Enrolled in the Department of English Literature at Tokyo Imperial University in 1904 (Meiji 37). Tempted by illness, he took a leave of absence, but went to Nomi Island in the Seto Inland Sea to recuperate, where he wrote a novel, "Plover" (1906), interweaving his experiences and imagination with the novel, which was highly praised by Natsume Soseki, and marked the start of his career as a writer. As a student of Soseki, he published a collection of short stories, "Chiyogami" (1907), and after graduating from university in 1908, he continued to write while working as a junior high school teacher, and his specialty is romanticism colored by melancholy, such as "Kurokami" (1909), "Kotori no Su" (1910), "Mulberry" and "Kushi" (both 1913). However, during the heyday of naturalism, which aimed to portray reality realistically, his writing gradually became less frequent, and he eventually turned to children's literature, the essence of which is romanticism.

In July 1918 (Taisho 7), he founded the children's magazine Akai Tori (Red Bird) under his own initiative. With the support of literary figures such as Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Arishima Takeo, Shimazaki Toson, and Kitahara Hakushu, he nurtured fairy tale writers such as Ogawa Mimei, Tsubota Joji, and Niimi Nankichi, and played a role in elevating the fairy tales of the Meiji period, which had a strong comical flavor, to modern children's literature. In Akai Tori, he actively published retellings of foreign fairy tales and novels that he rewrote to be suitable for children, and his most outstanding works are Kojiki Monogatari (Tales of the Kojiki) (1919-20) and Rumii (The Homeless Child) (1932-36). In addition, he taught children how to spell through this magazine, and his book "Tsuzurikata Dokuhon" (1935) played a key role in the modern spelling movement. He passed away on June 27, 1936.

[Shoichiro Kami]

"The Complete Works of Suzuki Miekichi, 6 volumes and supplementary volume 1 (republished, 1982, Iwanami Shoten)" ▽ "The Complete Works of Suzuki Miekichi Fairy Tales, 9 volumes and supplementary volume 1 (1975, Bunsendo Shoten)" ▽ "Tales of the Kojiki" (Kadokawa Bunko, Shunyodo Boys and Girls Library)" ▽ "Suzuki Miekichi and the 'Red Bird'" by Nemoto Masayoshi (1973, Hatonomori Shobo)" ▽ "Suzuki Miekichi, compiled and published by the Suzuki Miekichi Red Bird Society (1975)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

小説家、児童文学者。明治15年9月29日、広島市に生まれる。1904年（明治37）東京帝国大学英文科入学。病気で休学するが、その保養のために渡った瀬戸内海の能美(のうみ)島での見聞に空想を織り交ぜて綴(つづ)った小説『千鳥』（1906）が夏目漱石(そうせき)に激賞され、これを処女作として作家的出発をした。漱石門下として短編集『千代紙』（1907）を発表、1908年大学卒業後は中学の教師をしながら創作を続け、『黒髪』（1909）、『小鳥の巣』（1910）、『桑の実』『櫛(くし)』（ともに1913）など、哀愁に彩られたロマンチシズムを本領としている。しかし現実をリアルに描くことを旨とする自然主義全盛時代にあってしだいに寡作となり、ついにはロマンチシズムをその本質とする児童文学に転向するに至った。

　1918年（大正7）7月、自ら主宰して児童雑誌『赤い鳥』を創刊。芥川龍之介(あくたがわりゅうのすけ)、有島武郎(たけお)、島崎藤村(とうそん)、北原白秋(はくしゅう)ら文壇作家の応援を受け、小川未明(みめい)、坪田譲治、新美南吉(にいみなんきち)らの童話作家を育て、戯作(げさく)的色彩の濃かった明治時代のお伽噺(とぎばなし)を、近代的な児童文学に高める役割を果たした。彼は『赤い鳥』誌上に、外国の童話や小説を子供にふさわしいように書き直した再話を精力的に発表したが、とくに『古事記物語』（1919～20）と『ルミイ』（家なき子）（1932～36）が優れている。なお、同誌を通じて子供の綴方(つづりかた)の指導を行ったが、その著『綴方読本』（1935）は現代綴方運動の基点としての役割を果たした。昭和11年6月27日没。

［上笙一郎］

『『鈴木三重吉全集』六巻・別巻一（再刊・1982・岩波書店）』▽『『鈴木三重吉童話全集』九巻・別巻一（1975・文泉堂書店）』▽『『古事記物語』（角川文庫・春陽堂少年少女文庫）』▽『根本正義著『鈴木三重吉と「赤い鳥」』（1973・鳩の森書房）』▽『鈴木三重吉赤い鳥の会編・刊『鈴木三重吉』（1975）』

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