『源氏物語』作中歌の読み方

Abstract

In Genji‐monogatari (The Tale of Genji), a total of 795 waka poetry are composed or exchanged by various characters. Though a lot of excellent commentaries have been written on waka that appear in the text, we have not known well about the structure of them in detail. And the interpretations of them sometimes differ among scholars, moreover we can find some errors in the commentaries. In this paper, I closely investigate the expression and structure of 11 waka selected from the text, examining the contents of commentaries and translations published after 1945, and I would like to show more natural interpretations of the waka and how to read them correctly. First, I take up and examine two examples in which the interpretations of waka are not consistent with the context or the situation in which they were composed. Waka in monogatari(story)are usually joined together tightly with context. Therefore when we find any inconsistency between waka’s interpretation and situation, there must be some error in interpretation. I examine the nature of inconsistency then verify how misreading are brought about. By doing so, I expect to reach natural or proper interpretations. Second, I focus on the method of interpreting waka by recalling similar waka or expression from genji‐monogatari and various anthologies. Omission of representation and euphemistic expression are often used in composition of waka. So only to collect all the meaning of words that make up waka is insufficient to comprehend the peom perfectly. Reading and interpretation of waka need literary supplement of reader's imagination. When we exercise our imagination for total understanding of waka, it is quite helpful to recall similar waka and similar expression, because they tell us right way to correct interpretation. Last, I focus on the issue of metaphor and hidden meaning. In waka, the scene or physical phenomena expressed in the surface often imply underlying allegory or emotional phenomena. For that reason, in the commentaries of Genji‐monogatari, the level of meaning expressed on the surface of waka tends not to be a subject of primary concern. Scholars and the authors of commentaries tend to be too much eager to elucidate the ‘true’ meaning hidden deep beneath the expressions of waka and occasionally misunderstand the meaning. I here examine that kind of case(five waka), indicate proper interpretations, and confirm the importance of grasping the surface‐level meaning and structure of waka as they are.