Jules Renard

French novelist and playwright. Born on February 22nd in Chalon, France, he was raised in his father's hometown of Citrine. He spent his childhood in darkness, not being loved by his mother. Memories from this time would later become a major source of material for his masterpiece, The Carrot (1894). He moved to Paris, became acquainted with the Symbolist poets, and participated in the founding of the magazine Mercure de France. His novel The Carrot (1892) earned him recognition as a writer with a unique poetic eye, and after The Carrot he wrote a succession of masterpieces, including Grapevine in the Vineyard (1894) and Natural History (1896). In Natural History in particular, the power of the visionary Renard, who called himself the "hunter of images," was fully displayed. After 1897, he began writing plays, and here too he showed his extraordinary skill. His works include "Parting is a Pleasure" (1897), "Daily Bread" (1898), and "Mr. Vernet" (1903), and in 1900 he published "The Carrot," a play based on the same subject as the novel, which was a great success. In addition, "The Diary" (1927), which was published posthumously along with his complete works, was praised as an excellent piece of diary literature. It was written over the course of 24 years until his death, and it depicts in stark detail the life of the author, who constantly practiced his literary style and continued to observe the true nature of humanity. In 1907, he became a member of the Académie Goncourt, succeeding Huysmans. He died on May 22, 2010.

[Kubota Haniya]

"The Diaries of Renard, translated by Kishida Kunio, all 7 volumes (Shincho Bunko)" ▽ "Grape-making in the Vineyard, translated by Kishida Kunio (Iwanami Bunko)" ▽ "The Pleasure of Parting, translated by Kishida Kunio (Iwanami Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

フランスの小説家、劇作家。2月22日、中仏シャロンに生まれ、父の郷里シトリーで育てられる。少年期に母に愛されない暗い日々を送る。このころの思い出は、のちに名作『にんじん』（1894）の大きな素材となる。パリに出て象徴派の詩人たちとつきあい、『メルキュール・ド・フランス』誌の創刊に参加した。小説『ねなしかずら』（1892）によって、特異な詩眼をもった作家として認められ、『にんじん』以後、『葡萄(ぶどう)畑の葡萄作り』（1894）、『博物誌』（1896）などの名作を次々と書く。とくに『博物誌』において、「イマージュの猟人」と自ら名のった幻視者ルナールの力量が存分に発揮された。1897年以後、劇作を始めたが、ここでも非凡な腕をみせた。作品に『別れも愉(たの)し』（1897）、『日々のパン』（1898）、『ベルネ氏』（1903）があるが、1900年には小説と同じ題材による戯曲『にんじん』を発表し、大成功を収めた。また、死後に全集とともに公にされた『日記』（1927）は、優れた日記文学として評価された。これは没年に至る24年間にわたって書かれたもので、つねに文体の練習に励み、人間の真実の姿を観察し続けた作家の生活が、赤裸々に描き出されている。07年、ユイスマンスの後を受けてアカデミー・ゴンクールの会員となった。10年5月22日没。

［窪田般彌］

『岸田国士訳『ルナール日記』全7冊（新潮文庫）』▽『岸田国士訳『ぶどう畑のぶどう作り』（岩波文庫）』▽『岸田国士訳『別れも愉し』（岩波文庫）』

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