1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
A New Approach to the American Colonial Period : New Historicism and the Analysis of a Multicultural Society
| Project/Area Number |
08301041
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
英語・英米文学
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
KUNISHIGE Junji University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Professor, 大学院・総合文化研究科, 教授 (50094264)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
HIROBE Izumi University of Nagoya, Department of Language and Culture, Lecturer, 言語文化部, 講師 (80272475)
HIRAI Yasuhiro Seijo University, Department of Economics, Lecturer, 経済学部, 講師 (40251334)
HAYASHI Fumiyo University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Professor, 大学院・総合文化研究科, 教授 (20139497)
SHIBATA Motoyuki University of Tokyo, Division of Humanities and Sociology, Associate Professor, 大学院・人文社会系研究科, 助教授 (90170901)
TATSUMI Takayuki Keio University, Department of Humanities, Associate Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (30155098)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1996 – 1998
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| Keywords | America / Massachusetts Bay colony / multicultural society / Witchcraft / ethnicity / captivity narrative / new historicism |
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| Research Abstract |
What were the colonial days in the United States of America? They were often considered as a cradle of the modern America. That means the colonial days are the base for the most powerful country of the whole world for the last half century. As for Massachusetts Bay colony, it has been studied from a point of view of the relationship between Puritanism and theocracy.
We started from collecting the first-hand material, which we can't access to in Japan, and assessed, from the various points of view. It has led to affirmation of the need to reconsideration of traditional methodology of approach to the colonial period of the U.S. We also discussed and studied so-called 'Salem Witchcraft Trial', and got the conclusion that testimony by the accused were twisted by upper class whose representatives were ministers and judges. The conflict between upper class, and lower class which included most of people who were accused of as witches, reflected on the handling of evidences. But the accused had tried hard to invent a consistent 'story' which would help them survive the trial and eventually it became one of resources of American literature.
Modern writers have paid their concern to reexamination of authentic history of America, that is 'canon', and begun to reread the history and concluded that the history should base on ethnicity and multiculturalism. Analyzing their works, we have, to some degree, succeeded in clarifying the process of the birth of American literature.
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