Susan Sontag

American female novelist and critic. After studying at Harvard University and other universities, she won the Merit Award for her novel The Benefactor (1963), which explores the delicate boundary between dreams and reality and depicts a person who is on the verge of losing his sense of self. She presented works with a new sensibility to the world, such as The Instrument of Death (1967) and the collection of short stories Watashi Et cetera (1978). In her critical work, she advocated a criticism that prioritizes the form over the content of literary works, in works such as Anti-Interpretation (1966) and The Style of the Radical Will (1969). His other works include Thoughts in Hanoi (1969), On Photography (1977), Illness as Metaphor (1978), Under the Sign of Saturn (1980), In Love with a Volcano (1992), In America (2000, National Book Award winner), and A Look at Terrorism in Our Time (2002). He also attracted attention for his criticism of war and the use of force, and was involved in anti-Vietnam War activities. In response to the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, he claimed that they were an attack on the self-proclaimed "world superpower." He also criticized the tone of the US government and media, which was leaning toward nationalism at the time, and opposed the Iraq War in 2003. In addition to novels and criticism, he was also involved in theater, and in 1993 he staged Beckett's play "Waiting for Godot" in wartime Sarajevo. He also produced several films, including "A Guided Journey" (1983). In 1994 he was awarded the Montblanc Cultural Prize.

[Ginsaku Sugiura]

"Under the Sign of Saturn, translated by Toyama Takao (1982, Shobunsha)" ▽ "The Style of Radical Will, translated by Kawaguchi Kyoichi (1986, Shobunsha)" ▽ "The Ornaments of Death, translated by Saito Kazue (1990, Hayakawa Publishing)" ▽ "New Edition: Illness as Metaphor, AIDS and its Metaphors, translated by Toyama Takao (1992, Misuzu Publishing)" ▽ "Counter-Interpretation, translated by Takahashi Koya et al. (1996, Chikuma Shobo)" ▽ "In Love with Volcanoes, translated by Toyama Takao (2001, Misuzu Publishing)" ▽ "A Look at Terrorism in This Era, translated by Kowata Kazue (2002, NTT Publishing)" ▽ "A Look at the Pain of Others, translated by Hojo Fumio (2003, Misuzu Publishing)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

アメリカの女流小説家、批評家。ハーバード大学その他に学んだあと、夢と現実の間の微妙な境地を探り、自己の実体を失いかけた人物を描く長編『恩人』（1963）でメリット賞を受賞、『死の装具』（1967）、短編集『わたしエトセトラ』（1978）などで新しい感性の作品を世に問い、批評活動では『反解釈』（1966）や『ラディカルな意志のスタイル』（1969）で文学作品の内容よりも形式を重んじる批評を提唱。ほかに『ハノイで考えたこと』（1969）、『写真論』（1977）、『隠喩(いんゆ)としての病い』（1978）、『土星の徴しの下で』（1980）、『火山に恋して』（1992）、『In America』（2000。全米図書賞受賞）や『この時代に想うテロへの眼差(まなざ)し』（2002）などがある。戦争や武力行使に対する批評でも注目を浴び、ベトナム戦争への反対活動等も行った。また、2001年9月に起こったアメリカ同時多発テロに対しては「自称“世界の超大国”への攻撃である」などと主張したほか、ナショナリズムに傾いていた当時のアメリカ政府やメディアの論調を批判、03年のイラク戦争には反対の姿勢をみせていた。小説、批評のほか、演劇にも携わり、1993年には戦時下のサライエボ（サラエボ）でベケットの戯曲『ゴドーを待ちながら』を上演、また映画の製作も数本手がけた（『案内者なき旅』（1983）など）。1994年モンブラン文化賞受賞。

［杉浦銀策］

『富山太佳夫訳『土星の徴しの下に』（1982・晶文社）』▽『川口喬一訳『ラディカルな意志のスタイル』（1986・晶文社）』▽『斎藤数衛訳『死の装具』（1990・早川書房）』▽『富山太佳夫訳『新版　隠喩としての病い・エイズとその隠喩』（1992・みすず書房）』▽『高橋康也他訳『反解釈』（1996・筑摩書房）』▽『富山太佳夫訳『火山に恋して』（2001・みすず書房）』▽『木幡和枝訳『この時代に想うテロへの眼差し』（2002・NTT出版）』▽『北條文緒訳『他者の苦痛へのまなざし』（2003・みすず書房）』

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