Kain no matsuei von Arishima Takeo: Eine intertextuelle Analyse im Kontext des Taishō-zeitlichen Vitalismus

Abstract

The interpretation of the novel Kain no matsuei, considered to be one of the major works of Arishima Takeo (1878–1923), is controversial. The dominant interpretation views the work as a tragedy depicting the protagonist’s defeat by society. However, the dominant interpretation of the text as a mere naturalistic study or pessimistic and moralistic novel ignores both essential elements of the narrative itself (such as the work’s title and epigraph) and its textual environment. Through an intertextual reading of the narrative, the present study offers a new, more plausible interpretation that locates its intellectual-historical background in the so-called "vitalism" of the Taishō period, to which Arishima also adhered. This is particularly reflected in the vigorous, vital, and instinct-driven portrayal of the central figure Nin’emon. By means of an intertextual-historical examination of the narrative, this study therefore shows that, contrary to the common interpretation, the novel Kain no matsuei can indeed be read as an aggressively life-affirming narrative and was conceived as such by Arishima himself. This reinterpretation and the intellectual-historical insights gained in turn shed new light on Arishima’s overall work and life itself, whose influence extends beyond the realm of literature.