Pär Lagerkvist (English spelling)

Swedish author. After graduating from Uppsala University in 1912, he spent time in Paris and was influenced by French modern art, publishing his first collection of poems, Motifs (1914). After World War I, he wrote dreamlike one-act plays. He spent 1920-1930 in the south of France and traveled to the Orient, exploring themes of God and man in short and medium-length stories such as Eternal Smile (1920), An Ominous Tale (1924), and his autobiographical novel, Guest of Truth (1925). He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1951 for his works, including the collection of poems Under the Campfire (1932), the short story The Executioner (1933), which criticised the Nazis, and Barabbas (1950), which he wrote after World War II. He continued his work with the poetry collection "Night Country" (1953), the novella "Miko" (1956), "The Death of Ahasberus" (1960), "Pilgrimage at Sea" (1962), and "The Holy Land" (1964). These works consistently explore the dualistic opposition between good and evil, divinity and humanity. As a result, the truth he attains is actually empty, and the eternal pilgrimage continues. His writing style has remained unchanged since "Eternal Smile," and he always ends up raising a problem. This is probably why he is described as a "writer who asks questions." The settings of his works show his deep interest in early Christian faith. However, he has not written any long masterpieces, which is traditional for Scandinavian writers.

[Michio Tanaka]

"Barabbas" translated by Yoshi Ozaki (Iwanami Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

スウェーデンの作家。1912年ウプサラ大学卒業後、パリに遊びフランス近代美術の影響を受け、処女詩集『モチーフ』（1914）を発表。第一次世界大戦後は夢幻的一幕物戯曲を書く。1920～1930年は南フランス滞在、オリエント旅行で過ごし、『永遠の微笑』（1920）、『不吉な物語』（1924）、自伝小説『真実の客となる』（1925）などの中・短編で神と人間のテーマを追究する。詩集『営火のもとに』（1932）、ナチス批判の短編『刑吏』（1933）、第二次世界大戦後の『バラバ』（1950）などの著作活動により1951年ノーベル文学賞を受賞する。その後は、詩集『夜の国』（1953）、中編『巫女(みこ)』（1956）、『アハスベルスの死』（1960）、『海上巡礼』（1962）、『聖地』（1964）と続く。これらの作品は、善と悪、神性と人性の二元的対立を一貫して追究。その結果手にする真実は実は空(くう)であり、さらに永遠の巡礼が続くという構成をとる。『永遠の微笑』以来変わらぬ彼の作家的姿勢で、つねに問題の提起に終わる。「問いかけの作家」と評されるゆえんであろう。作品の舞台設定は、初期キリスト教信仰への深い関心を示す。なお彼には、北欧作家に伝統的な長編の大作はない。

［田中三千夫］

『尾崎義訳『バラバ』（岩波文庫）』

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