Nature in Modern German Literature

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K00505
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02040:European literature-related
• Research Institution: Seijo University
• Principal Investigator: Tokita Yuko 成城大学, 文芸学部, 准教授 (60757657)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 自然誌 / 精霊譚 / 探検博物学 / メスメリズム / 科学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

At the turn of the 19th Century German people had the great interests in Nature. According to the Greek Natural Philosophy Nature consists of four elements, namely earth, water, fire and air. German poets in the era of enlightenment told often stories of natural spirits based on the Natural Philosophy. The reason for the popularity of such stories is here considered. Then observing the activities of three German naturalists who traveled around the world and wrote travelogues, the process of getting new knowledge of nature is revealed. Lastly the phenomena of wonders for example, ghost and mesmerism, which German poets made the subject of their works, are analyzed. In this way the ideas of nature among German poets at the time are shown.

Free Research Field

ドイツ文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在、理系と文系の垣根を越えた学問のあり方が求められているが、19世紀初頭のドイツ語圏において学問は総合的なものであり、自然観という補助線を引いてみると、文学と自然科学が相関関係にあると判明する。本研究は自然科学者が詩人を自負し、詩人が文学作品に自然科学の最新の成果を取り入れた事例の数々を挙げて、学問の専門化が進む以前の状況を提示し、文学的想像力が学問や社会の発展に対して果たした貢献を明示した。