아쿠타가와(芥川)의 모성(母性)인식‒다이도지 신스케의 반생(大導寺信輔の半生)의「二. 우유(牛乳)」를 중심으로‒

Abstract

In this study, in order to look into the process of changing perceptions surrounding Akutagawa’s mother, the paragraph 「二. Milk (牛乳)” was considered, and its relevance was examined. In conclusion, Akutagawa gave the protagonist the pseudonym ‘Shinsuke’, so it is safe to see Shinsuke as a tangible person who is projecting himself. In other words, in the paragraph “二.牛乳” (Milk), which shows the relationship with the mother, the protagonist Shinsuke describes the fact that she has never been breastfed by her mother since birth, and this part of Akutagawa himself, who has not been breastfed once since birth. It is because Shinsuke can know that he is Akutagawa himself by overlapping his experiences. In the work, Shinsuke thinks that it is a shame as he is constantly paying attention to the fact that he has never experienced breast-feeding, and is convinced that his weakness is also due to milk. Moreover, the use of sleeping pills after traveling to China caused him to have hallucinations, further exacerbating his fear of insanity. In the meantime, the image of a mad mother must have become clearer, and the psychological conflict with Akutagawa, who did not want to accept the fact that he was a madman’s child, surfaced in 『Daidoji Shinsuke’s Half Life』. However, Akutagawa wanted to confess about his birth mother through “Daidoji Shinsuke’s Half Life”, but he could not finally reveal it. In the end, at the beginning of his 1926 work Denkibo, he confesses to his mother, who was a madman, and whom he had rejected until then, by saying, ‘My mother was a madman. However, the fact that in 『Daidoji Shinsuke’s Half Life』, Akutagawa finally brought up the story of motherhood, which had not been mentioned before, gives a glimpse into a process of understanding motherhood hidden in his life.