Extra person (English spelling) лишний человек/lishniy chelovek

The most typical character figure produced by 19th century Russian literature. It refers to intellectuals who, while they have a Western education and progressive ideas and a strong desire to be active, are unable to find a way to utilize their knowledge under a despotic government supported by serfdom, and are isolated from both the ruling class and the masses. They gradually become bored with life, disillusioned, dissatisfied with themselves and others, and suffer from a strong sense of self-consciousness. This term comes from Turgenev's Diary of a Superfluous Man (1850). Not only in the title, but throughout the text, there is a lament that "I am superfluous." The protagonist, Chulkaturin, is a social outcast, and as he faces death, he reflects on his life and defines himself as superfluous. Other literary figures who viewed this type as a typical example of the times include Ogarov (Confessions of a Superfluous Man, 1858-59), Dobrolyubov (What is Oblomovism?, 1859), Herzen (The Superfluous and the Complaining Man, 1860), and Pisarev (Bazarov, 1862). The superfluous man first appeared under the reign of Nicholas I (reigned 1825-55), when political repression intensified after the Decembrists, leading to an increase in intellectuals who were unfulfilled in their ambitions and lived vain lives, and this type became a distinct type. This type is not uniform. Chatsky (Griboyedov, Sorrows of Wit, 1824), who rails against the humiliating upper class but is instead treated as a madman; Onegin (Pushkin, Eugene Onegin, 1825-33), a proud and cold loner; Pechorin (Lermontov, A Hero of Our Time, 1839-40), a rebellious and passionate egoist; Belitov (Herzen, Who's to Blame?, 1841-46), who is highly educated and has a strong sense of self but cannot find his place in the world; There are various types of characters, such as Oblomov (Goncharov, Oblomov, 1859), who is a man who has no place for activity and is only passionate about eloquence (Turgenev, Luzhin, 1856), who is disillusioned with vulgar aristocratic society and withdraws into his estate (Turgenev, The Nest of Nobles, 1859), Bazarov, who has knowledge, will, and energy, and has revolutionary aspirations, but dies an unexpected death (Turgenev, Fathers and Sons, 1862), and Raisky, an artistic man who knows how to compromise with those around him (Goncharov, The Cliff, 1869). When Chekhov wrote his play Ivanov (1889), he said that he was "finishing this type," but Ivanov was already somewhat different from the superfluous characters of the first half of the 19th century and was closer to being a social outcast.

[Kiyorō Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

19世紀ロシア文学が生んだもっとも典型的人間像。西欧的教養と進歩的思想をもち、活動意欲もありながら、農奴制度に支えられた専制政治下ではそれを生かす道をみいだせず、支配層からも民衆からも孤立し、しだいに生活に倦怠(けんたい)し、幻滅のうちに自他に不満なまま、強い自意識に苦しみながら生きる知識人たちをいう。この用語はツルゲーネフの『余計者の日記』（1850）による。題名のみでなく、文中にも「おれは余計者だ」という嘆きが出てくる。主人公チュルカトゥーリンは社会的落後者で、死を前にして生涯を回想し、自らを余計者と定義づける。このタイプを時代の生んだ典型ととらえる文学者は、ほかにオガリョフ（『余計者の告白』1858～59）、ドブロリューボフ（『オブローモフ主義とは何か』1859）、ゲルツェン（『余計者と不平家』1860）、ピーサレフ（『バザーロフ』1862）らがいる。余計者の最初の出現はニコライ1世（在位1825～55）治下であり、デカブリスト事件後、政治的弾圧が強化されたため、志を得ず、むなしく生きる知識人が増え、一つのタイプとなった。このタイプは一様ではない。汚辱に満ちた上流階級を面罵(めんば)するが、かえって狂人扱いにされるチャーツキー（グリボエードフ『知恵の悲しみ』1824）、誇り高く冷たい孤立者オネーギン（プーシキン『エウゲーニイ・オネーギン』1825～33）、反抗的、情熱的エゴイスト、ペチョーリン（レールモントフ『現代の英雄』1839～40）、高い教養と強い個の自覚をもちながら適所をみいだせぬベリトフ（ゲルツェン『誰(だれ)の罪か？』1841～46）、純な心をもちながら惰性的に怠惰な生活を送るオブローモフ（ゴンチャロフ『オブローモフ』1859）、活動の場所がなく弁舌のみに情熱を燃やすルージン（ツルゲーネフ『ルージン』1856）、低俗な貴族社会に幻滅して領地に引きこもるラブレツキー（ツルゲーネフ『貴族の巣』1859）、知識と意志と活動力をもち、革命志向を抱きながら、不慮の死を遂げるバザーロフ（ツルゲーネフ『父と子』1862）、周囲と妥協するすべも知る芸術家肌のライスキー（ゴンチャロフ『断崖(だんがい)』1869）など、さまざまである。チェーホフは戯曲『イワーノフ』（1889）を書くとき、「このタイプをしめくくる」といったが、イワーノフはすでに19世紀前半の余計者とはやや異なって社会的挫折(ざせつ)者に近い。

［佐藤清郎］

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