芥川龍之介「地獄変」論 －地獄よりも地獄的な世界の現出－

Abstract

This paper discusses Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s “Jigokuhen” as a horror story. As Yasuhiro Imaizumi (2010) states, although “Jigokuhen” has the elements of a ghost story, it is narrated as if a mystery is gradually unfolding rather than merely telling of a ghost . Specifically, the narrator first mentions the horror of ghost stories by quoting a ghost story, then gradually turns to Yoshihide’s insanity and horror as a painter after he received the order to produce the “Jigokuhen” folding screen. Nonetheless, since Yoshihide “can only paint what he has been able to see with his own eyes,” he produces various scenes imitating hell in the real world, through which the world that exists on the other side (that world) gradually appears on this side (this world). Ultimately, his master burns Yoshihide’s daughter to death in front of him, and it is at this point that the horrors of the “scene of hell” presenting themselves to the world are spoken of. However, Yoshihide—who is ecstatic at the beauty of the sight of his beloved daughter burning to death—reaches a state of ecstasy that transcends hell. Akutagawa is said to have written works resembling horror stories throughout his life. In the early days of his writing he depicted “ghostly horror,” but his work gradually transitioned to “the horror of insanity.” If this is accurate, then “Jigokuhen” can be positioned as symbolizing the period of his transition from “ghostly horror” to “the horror of insanity.”