1987 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Studies on the concrete motifs of masks, puppets and doublesin French fantastic literature
| Project/Area Number |
60301064
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Co-operative Research (A)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
仏語・仏文学
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| Research Institution | NAGOYA UNIVERSITY |
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Principal Investigator |
SHINODA Chiwaki Nagoya University, School of letters, Assistant Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (00022260)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
松尾 雅嗣 広島大学, 総合科学部, 助教授 (40106787)
YAMANAKA Tetuo Aichi University of Education, Assistant Professor, 第一部, 助教授 (30144182)
KAWAGUCHI Kenkou Chiba University of Business, School of Business, Professpr, 商学部, 教授 (40049929)
OOUSHI Kazuko Meisei University at Iwaki, General Education, Assistant Professor, 一般教育部, 助教授 (80152049)
藤田 衆 名城大学, 法学部, 助教授 (40148309)
KANAZAWA KOUKO Seijo University, School of Law, Professor
SHIBATA Mitiko Kinjo-Gakuin University, Assistant Professcr
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| Project Period (FY) |
1985 – 1987
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| Keywords | Fantastic / supernatural / concrete motifs / mask / puppet / double / Evil / Dark Side / Strangeness |
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| Research Abstract |
In these studies on fantastic lierature, we aim to find a rational definition of the genre. We therefore deemed it necessary to incorporate non literary angles as diverse as possible: music, fine arts, apiritualism, sociology, etc. Our literary approach itself includes the pre- and para-fantastic corpus, i.e. the "merveilleux", be it written or oral, learned or popular.
In order to manage this vast corpus, we resorted to this initial, classic criterium: "the intrusion of the supernatural in daily life". However, rather than ill-defined abstract notions, we have priviledged concrete motifs such as masks, puppets, and double images; Whenever a text presents no realistic description involving one of the afore-mentionned motifs, we consider it non fantastic. We believe that mere metaphysical and abstract reveries are not capable of shcoking society.
As for fantastic characters, we looked for modern emissaries of Evil in all guises. They may be musicians swayed by the Dark Side; or labyrinthine urban setting permeated with the spirits of evil. We have even spotted such grimacing spirits lurking in the corners of paintings by Monet and Cezanne. We have been able to establish a list (as exhaustive as could be) of the texts in which a latent presence of Evil can be detected.
In most cases, the author strives to describe the strangeness of the human being suffering from the cleavage of the self. Alle men are puppets in teh hands of Fate; but, modern men having done away with the Supreme Being, we do not feel "guides par les haleurs", but make-shift gods, mimicking reflexions of ourselves.
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