Céline - Louis-Ferdinand Céline

French novelist. At the age of 18, he volunteered to join the army and was wounded in World War I. After being discharged, he went to Africa as a resident of a forestry company, but returned to Japan after a year due to an endemic disease. He self-taught himself to obtain the university entrance qualification (baccalauréat), studied medicine and obtained a degree, joined the Health Department of the League of Nations, and spent several years on inspection tours around the world before opening a clinic in a slum on the outskirts of Paris. At the same time, he wrote "Journey to the End of the Night" (1932), based on his experiences since the war, which shocked readers with its bold colloquial language, thorough pessimism, and above all, its unusual story, and he quickly established his position as a writer. "Death by Force" (1936), which deals with the childhood of the same protagonist, depicts the wickedness of the world and the misery of humanity with even more boldness, and although it was attacked by moralists, it received a greater response than his previous work.

However, as the Second World War approached, he became impatient with his anti-war ideology, saw the cause of the war in the Jews, and published a series of insane anti-Semitic documents, including Bagatelles pour un massacre (1937). He advocated an alliance with Germany and was considered a Nazi collaborator. When Germany's defeat became more likely, he escaped occupied Paris and fled to Denmark, where he spent seven years in exile. After returning to the United States, he again caused a great stir with From Castle to Castle (1957), which described his experiences in exile. This was followed by North (1960) and Rigodon (published posthumously in 1969). His reputation has only grown since his death. Céline's depiction of modern hell, combined with his deep sympathy for human misery, gives the impression of a kind of prophetic world. However, we must not forget the crimes of racism. He was also a stylistician who pursued the perfection of the "living written word" throughout his life.

[Kazuhiko Kosaka]

"The Works of Celine, translated by Kazuhiko Kosaka et al., 14 volumes (1978-85, Kokusho Kankokai)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

フランスの小説家。18歳で志願入隊して第一次世界大戦で負傷。除隊後、林業会社の駐在員としてアフリカに渡るが、風土病を得て1年で帰国。独学で大学入学資格（バカロレア）をとり、医学を修めて学位を得、国際連盟衛生局に入り、世界各地の視察旅行に数年を過ごしたのち、パリ場末の貧民街で開業した。かたわら、戦争以来の体験をもとに書いた『夜の果てへの旅』（1932）が、大胆な口語表現と徹底したペシミズムとなによりも奇抜な物語で読者に大きな衝撃を与え、一躍作家としての地位を築いた。同じ主人公の少年時代を扱った『なしくずしの死』（1936）は、いっそうの大胆さで世界の悪意と人間の悲惨を描き、ために良俗派の攻撃にあいつつも、前作に勝る反響をよんだ。

　しかし第二次大戦の接近とともに、性急な反戦主義から、戦争原因をユダヤ人にみて、『皆殺しのための戯(ざ)れ言(ごと)』Bagatelles pour un massacre（1937）など一連の狂気じみた反ユダヤ文書を発表、ドイツとの同盟を唱えてナチスの協力者とみなされ、ドイツの敗色が濃くなると占領下のパリを脱出、デンマークに逃れ、7年の亡命生活を送った。帰国後、亡命中の体験を描いた『城から城』（1957）で、ふたたび大きな反響をよんだ。『北』（1960）、『リゴドン』（1969年没後刊）がこれに続く。没後も彼の評価は高まる一方である。セリーヌの描く現代の地獄絵には、人間の悲惨への深い共感と相まって、一種予言的な世界が感じられる。かといって、その人種差別の犯罪も忘れてはなるまい。彼はまた、生涯「生きた書きことば」の完成を追求した文体家でもあった。

［高坂和彦］

『高坂和彦他訳『セリーヌの作品』全14巻（1978～85・国書刊行会）』

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