after that

A full-length novel by Natsume Soseki. It was serialized in the Asahi Shimbun in Tokyo and Osaka from June 27 to October 4, 1909 (Meiji 42). It was published by Shunyodo in January of the following year. Daisuke Nagai lives an idle life, supported by his businessman father, but is rather proud of the free time he has that is untainted by his job. One day, his friend Hiraoka comes to Tokyo after failing a job in Osaka. Reunited with Hiraoka's wife Michiyo, Daisuke reaffirms his love for her and reflects on the pretense he put into trying to get the two married. Facing a choice between following his own natural desires or giving up in accordance with the "rules of society," Daisuke finally decides to take Michiyo away. However, Michiyo falls ill, Daisuke is disowned by his father, and he is forced to find a job. This is the first work in which the fundamental theme of Soseki's literature, selfishness and altruism in love, becomes clear, and the criticism of civilization that he conveys through Daisuke is reminiscent of one side of Soseki as a thinker. There is also a theory that this work, along with the preceding work "Sanshiro" and the following work "The Gate," form a trilogy.

[Yukio Miyoshi]

"'And Then' (Iwanami Bunko, Obunsha Bunko, Kadokawa Bunko, Kodansha Bunko, Shincho Bunko)" ▽ "'A Personal Theory of Soseki' by Haruo Ochi (1971, Kadokawa Shoten)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

夏目漱石(そうせき)の長編小説。1909年（明治42）6月27日より10月4日まで、東京・大阪の『朝日新聞』に連載。翌年1月、春陽堂刊。長井代助は実業家の父の援助で無為徒食の日々を過ごしているが、職業のために汚されない自由な時間をもつことをむしろ誇りとしていた。ある日、友人の平岡が大阪での勤めに失敗して上京してくる。平岡の妻三千代と再会した代助は、改めて彼女への愛を確認し、2人の結婚に尽力した過去の虚飾を反省する。自己の自然な欲求を貫くか、「社会の掟(おきて)」に従って断念するかの二者択一に迷った代助は、ついに三千代を奪うことを決意する。しかし、三千代は病み、代助は父から義絶され、職業を探す必要に迫られる。愛における利己と利他という漱石文学の根本主題が初めて鮮明になった作品で、代助に託して語られる文明批評も思想家としての漱石の一面を彷彿(ほうふつ)する。先行作の『三四郎』、次作の『門』とあわせて三部作とみる説もある。

［三好行雄］

『『それから』（岩波文庫・旺文社文庫・角川文庫・講談社文庫・新潮文庫）』▽『越智治雄著『漱石私論』（1971・角川書店）』

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