「蜃気楼」 小考 - 芥川龍之介의 회화적 기법을 중심으로 -

Abstract

Published the March 1927 issue of the magazine Huzinkouron, Akutagawa Ryunosuke's work, A Mirage, reflects the author's mental state immediately before his death. Akutagawa had been absorbed in experimenting with new, creative ways of literary writing, which culminated in this particular work. The writer presents descriptions of strolls on the beach where mirages are actually witnessed. The first part handles, in a chronological order, trivial episodes that are experienced during the day, whereas the second one is concerned with those that occur at night. Owing to such a simple composition, the work appears to be monotonous, yet is full of mental melancholy. The protagonist knows that his dream to be a true artist is only ephemeral like a mirage, but cannot yet forsake his dream. The unfulfilled dream turns the protagonist into an abnormal being who is under illusion in every part of his daily life. This is expressed in one episode after another, and the seriousness of the protagonist's condition is succinctly epitomized in the short last sentence, “I'm now standing in front of the door half open” after a stroll on the beach. In this study, the characteristics of Akutagawa's work are analyzed using painting techniques. First, the multidimensional composition of the work is examined. Then unique expressions of the writer are investigated. The study concludes with a graphic completion of A Mirage.