Abstract
The article deals with color symbolism in landscape descriptions in the works of a well-known Japanese writer Akutagawa Ryunosuke. The landscape can signify the place of an action, create some emotional atmosphere or it can be a significant component of characters psychological characteristic. In his famous story "Spinning Gears" the author points out some colors that are annoying for him. For example, black color resembles him the sinners' souls of Dante's Hell. Akutagawa's color perception is painful enough as a result of his mental disease. In his novella "At the seaside" landscape colors are used to depict the inner state of the main characters and their mood. White color of a lotus flower in the novella "The Death of a Holy Man", "The Spider's Thread" is a symbol of peacefulness, beauty, happiness and purity. Red color in the short story "Three Men" gains negative characteristics and meaning as it is associated with blood and death.
Keywords
R. Akutagawa color description symbolism landscape image psychological function characters inner state
References
- Akutagawa, R. The works in four volumes. V.1.: The beginning of the way: Novellas of 1914-1919 / translated by V. Grivnina - Moscow: Polyaris, 1998a.
- Akutagawa, R. The works in four volumes. V.2.: The Maturity: Novellas of 1920-1923 / translated by V. Grivnina - Moscow: Polyaris, 1998b.
- Akutagawa, R. The works in four volumes. V.3.: The Results: Novellas of 1924-1927 / translated by V. Grivnina - Moscow: Polyaris, 1998c.
- Akutagawa, R. The works in four volumes. V.4.: The Philosophy of Life. Essays. Miniatures. Articles. Letters / translated by V. Grivnina - Moscow: Polyaris, 1998d.
- Gage, J. Color and Meaning Art Science and Symbolism. University of California Press. Berkeley and Los Angeles, 2000.
- Grivnin V.S. Akutagawa Ryunosuke. - Moscow: Moscow University Publish House,1980.
- Lippit, Seiji. M. The Disintegrated Machinery of the Modern: Akutagawa Ryunosuke’s Late Writings. The Journal of Asian Studies. Vol. 58 № 1 (Feb. 1999) pp. 27-50.
- Literary Encyclopedia of terms and definitions / edited by A.N. Nikolyukin. - Moscow: NPK " Intelvak", 2001.
- Symbolic Landscapes. Springer Science Business Media, 2009. - 389 pp.
- Symbols Dictionary. Edited by M.V. Adamchik. - Minsk: Harvest, 2010.
- The Materiality of Color: the Production, Circulation, and Application of Dyes and Pigments, 1400-1800. Andrea Feeser, Maureen Daly Goggin, Beth Fowkes Tobin. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2012. - 333.
- The Story of a Head That Fell Off. Ryunosuke Akutagawa. Translated by Jay Rubin. Japan Focus, August 3, 2007.
- Ueda, Makoto. Modern Japanese Writers and the Nature of Literature. Stanford University Press, 1976. – p.47.
Abstract
The article deals with color symbolism in landscape descriptions in the works of a well-known Japanese writer Akutagawa Ryunosuke. The landscape can signify the place of an action, create some emotional atmosphere or it can be a significant component of characters psychological characteristic. In his famous story "Spinning Gears" the author points out some colors that are annoying for him. For example, black color resembles him the sinners' souls of Dante's Hell. Akutagawa's color perception is painful enough as a result of his mental disease. In his novella "At the seaside" landscape colors are used to depict the inner state of the main characters and their mood. White color of a lotus flower in the novella "The Death of a Holy Man", "The Spider's Thread" is a symbol of peacefulness, beauty, happiness and purity. Red color in the short story "Three Men" gains negative characteristics and meaning as it is associated with blood and death.
Keywords
R. Akutagawa color description symbolism landscape image psychological function characters inner state
References
- Akutagawa, R. The works in four volumes. V.1.: The beginning of the way: Novellas of 1914-1919 / translated by V. Grivnina - Moscow: Polyaris, 1998a.
- Akutagawa, R. The works in four volumes. V.2.: The Maturity: Novellas of 1920-1923 / translated by V. Grivnina - Moscow: Polyaris, 1998b.
- Akutagawa, R. The works in four volumes. V.3.: The Results: Novellas of 1924-1927 / translated by V. Grivnina - Moscow: Polyaris, 1998c.
- Akutagawa, R. The works in four volumes. V.4.: The Philosophy of Life. Essays. Miniatures. Articles. Letters / translated by V. Grivnina - Moscow: Polyaris, 1998d.
- Gage, J. Color and Meaning Art Science and Symbolism. University of California Press. Berkeley and Los Angeles, 2000.
- Grivnin V.S. Akutagawa Ryunosuke. - Moscow: Moscow University Publish House,1980.
- Lippit, Seiji. M. The Disintegrated Machinery of the Modern: Akutagawa Ryunosuke’s Late Writings. The Journal of Asian Studies. Vol. 58 № 1 (Feb. 1999) pp. 27-50.
- Literary Encyclopedia of terms and definitions / edited by A.N. Nikolyukin. - Moscow: NPK " Intelvak", 2001.
- Symbolic Landscapes. Springer Science Business Media, 2009. - 389 pp.
- Symbols Dictionary. Edited by M.V. Adamchik. - Minsk: Harvest, 2010.
- The Materiality of Color: the Production, Circulation, and Application of Dyes and Pigments, 1400-1800. Andrea Feeser, Maureen Daly Goggin, Beth Fowkes Tobin. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2012. - 333.
- The Story of a Head That Fell Off. Ryunosuke Akutagawa. Translated by Jay Rubin. Japan Focus, August 3, 2007.
- Ueda, Makoto. Modern Japanese Writers and the Nature of Literature. Stanford University Press, 1976. – p.47.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal Section | Articles |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | June 1, 2015 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2015 Volume: 3 Issue: 6 |
