Yoshii Isamu

Poet, playwright, novelist. Born on October 8, 1886, in Takanawa-cho, Shiba-ku, Tokyo. Dropped out of Waseda University. His grandfather Tomomi was from Satsuma (Kagoshima Prefecture) and worked for the state alongside Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, and was awarded the title of count in the Meiji era. Isamu began composing poetry at the age of 15, and joined Shinshi-sha at the age of 20. He submitted his poems to the magazine Myojo, but at the age of 22, he left Shinshi-sha along with Kitahara Hakushu, Kinoshita Mokutaro, and Nagata Mikihiko. The following year, in 1908 (Meiji 41), he formed the "Pan no Kai" (Bread Society) with Ishii Hakutei and Morita Tsunetomo, which became a base for the aesthetic movement. The following year, under the supervision of Mori Ogai, he founded the magazine "Subaru" with Ishikawa Takuboku and Hirano Banri. This marked the beginning of Isamu's literary career. With his first collection of poems, "Sakahogahi" (1910), he established himself in the literary world. After that, he energetically published novels, plays, and other works. His style of poetry sang of a world of alcohol and delusion, with a strong tendency towards decadence and aesthetic decadence. In response to the rise of this type of literature, Akagi Kohei's "On the Eradication of Debauchery Literature" was published in 1916 (Taisho 5), which dealt him a great blow. Furthermore, in 1933 (Showa 8), his wife Tokuko's misconduct was criticized, her social status was questioned, and she lost her title. In despair, he went on a series of poetry tours, then retired to Inono in Tosa. The fruits of this hardship were the poetry collection Ningen-kyo (The Human Sutra) (1934) and essay collection Wabizumi-no-ki (Record of Wabizumi) (1936), marking a turning point in his literary career. His style of poetry thereafter lost its aesthetic decadence and developed into austere, humane, and full of nourishment.

His other collections of poems include "Lovers" (1913), "Vengeful Feelings" (1916), "Gion Soushi" (1917), "Flowers of Evil" (1927), "Dark Winter" (1944), and "Wandering Notes" (1946). His novels include "Twelfth Night of Ink and Water" (1925-26) and "Yakou of the City" (1947). His dramas include "Mad Entertainer" (1914), "Skull Nun" (1913), "Koshin and Enba" (1920), and "The Death of Haikai-tei Kuraku" (1914). He became a member of the Japan Art Academy in 1948 (Showa 23). He died on November 19, 1960.

[Mizuno Harufusa]

When I wonder if the delicate beauty of the past was just a dream, a sense of loneliness wells up inside me.

"The Complete Works of Yoshii Isamu, 9 volumes (1977-79, Bancho Shobo)" ▽ "Kimata Osamu, Research on Yoshii Isamu (1978, Bancho Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

歌人、劇作家、小説家。明治19年10月8日、東京市芝区高輪(たかなわ)町に生まれる。早稲田(わせだ)大学中退。祖父友実(ともみ)は薩摩(さつま)（鹿児島県）の人で、西郷隆盛(さいごうたかもり)、大久保利通(としみち)らと国事に奔走し、明治になって伯爵を受爵する。勇は15歳で作歌を開始し、20歳で新詩社に入社。雑誌『明星』に投稿するが、22歳のおり、北原白秋、木下杢太郎(もくたろう)、長田幹彦らとともに新詩社を退社。翌1908年（明治41）石井柏亭(はくてい)、森田恒友(つねとも)らと「パンの会」を結成、耽美(たんび)派の拠点となった。またその翌年、森鴎外(おうがい)監修のもとに石川啄木(たくぼく)、平野万里(ばんり)とともに『スバル』を創刊。勇の文学的出発である。第一歌集『酒(さか)ほがひ』（1910）によって文壇的地歩を固める。以後小説、戯曲などを精力的に発表。歌風は、酒と情癡(じょうち)の世界を歌い、耽美頽唐(たいとう)の傾向が強い。そうした文学の隆盛に対して、16年（大正5）「遊蕩(ゆうとう)文学撲滅(ぼくめつ)論」（赤木桁平(こうへい)）が発表され、多大の痛手を被った。さらに、33年（昭和8）妻徳子の不行状が指弾されるに至り、社会的地位が問われ爵位を失い、失意のうちに歌行脚(あんぎゃ)を重ね、土佐の猪野野(いのの)に隠棲(いんせい)した。その苦境の所産として歌集『人間経』（1934）、随筆集『わびずみの記』（1936）があり、文学的転機を迎える。その後の歌風は、耽美頽唐は影を潜め、枯淡で人間的な滋味あふれる境地を展開する。

　ほかに、歌集『恋人』（1913）、『仇情(あだなさけ)』（1916）、『祇園双紙(ぎおんそうし)』（1917）、『悪の華(はな)』（1927）、『玄冬』（1944）、『流離抄』（1946）などがあり、小説に『墨水十二夜』（1925～26）、『市井夜講』（1947）などがある。戯曲に『狂芸人』（1914）、『髑髏尼(どくろに)』（1913）、『小しんと焉馬(えんば)』（1920）、『俳諧(はいかい)亭句楽の死』（1914）などがある。48年（昭和23）芸術院会員。昭和35年11月19日没。

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『『吉井勇全集』全9巻（1977～79・番町書房）』▽『木俣修著『吉井勇研究』（1978・番町書房）』

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