Madame Chrysanthème As an Item of Nineteenth-Century French
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MADAME CHRYSANTHEME AS AN ITEM OF NINETEENTH-CENTURY FRENCH JAPONAISERIE Heather McKenzie A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Canterbury 2004 II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS How did I meet you? I don't know A messenger sent me ill a tropical storm. You were there in the winter, Moonlight on the snow, And on Lillypond Lane When the weather was warm. Bob Dylan Any experience is coloured by the people with whom we share it. My Ph.D. years were brightened by the following kaleidoscope of people: · .. my family who have supported me in whatever I have chosen to do: Andrew for being a dependable brother; Fay, the best nan with her sparkle and baking talents; John, a generous and wise father; Mark, a like-minded companion and source of fine port; and Rowena for being an encouraging mother and friend. · .. Ken Strongman, mentor and friend for absolutely anything. · .. Greg my best friend, from across the corridor or from across the Pacific: a true amigo para siempre . ... Maureen Heffernan, who I enjoy knowing in a number of contexts: out running, in the consulate office, or across the table over dinner. ... Dave Matheson, a helpful, unassuming, and quietly supportive friend who appeared at just the right time. · .. Andrew Stockley whose friendship percolated through the latter stages of my Ph.D. life. '" Chris Wyeth, for friendship and support given over a long period of time. '" Nick, Kathryn, Steve, Rachel, Glen, and Natasha for their laughter and companionship. '" Sayoko Yabe for her energy and generosity. · .. Dr. Edwina Palmer and Mr. Ken Allott, my two supervisors who read countless drafts, discussed ideas, and kept me moving forward. Also to the University of Canterbury and the benefactors of the Barbara Mito-Reed Award for providing funding. Beni so it Ie Seigneur pour 11l' avail' canfie cette tfiche Andre Gide i ! III THE LAST FAREWELL There's a ship lying rigged ready in the harbour Tomorrow for Old England she sails. Far away from your land of English sunshine To myland full of rainy skies and gales. And I shall be aboard that ship tomorrow Though my heart is full of tears at this farewell. For you are beautiful and I have loved you dearly, More dearly than the spoken word can tell. For you are beautiful and I have loved you dearly, More dearly than the spoken word can tell. Though death and darkness gather all about me And my ship be torn apart upon the sea. I shall smell again the fragrance of these islands In the heaving waves that brought me once to thee. And should I return safe home again to England I shall watch the English mist roll through the dell. For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly, More dearly than the spoken word can tell. For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly, More dearly than the spoken word can tell. Roger Whittaker IV ABSTRACT Japonisme, a Japanese influence on Western art and design, enjoyed intense popularity during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. This study is primarily concerned with the interrelationship between products of that influence, items of japonaiserie, and Pierre Loti's first Japanese travelogue, Madame Chrysantheme (1887). It proposes that this work can be considered and meaningfully analysed as an item of 'literary' japonaiserie even though it contained aspects that criticised Japan. Characteristic of nineteenth-century commentary on Japan, Madame Chrysantheme is an amalgam of conflicting elements. While the work evokes and reinforces the ideas of a quaint, invigorating, and exotic Japan popular amongst European readers due largely to japonisme, at the same time its protagonist frequently criticises, belittles, and derides aspects of Japan and his Japanese experience. It is this duality combined with the major influence the work has had on Western perceptions of Japan that makes Madame Chrysantheme an important work to examine as an item of japonaiserie. This study aims towards an intra- and extra-textual evaluation of Madame Chrysantheme. It first examines various extra-textual contexts, applying these to the travelogue through an in-depth, intra textual analysis in Part V. The stylistic and thematic similarities between the book and japonisme in the non-literary arts are examined, and their nature and extent suggest that Loti deliberately tailored Madame Chrysantheme to meet consumer expectations. Similarities centre upon narrative style and language use, as well as aspects of the 'traditional,' exotic, and unusual Japan that consumers were familiar with being given precedence over a balanced representation of the reality of Meiji Era Japan. The negative criticism levied at Japan that runs throughout the work is also examined. This aims to demonstrate that while being a formulaic 'Japanesque' travel memoir, Madame Chrysantheme also contains aspects that contrasted and conflicted with the prevailing stereotypes of japonaiserie. In particular, language use and the protagonist's response to Japanese women are vehicles by which he diminishes and derides Japan and the Japanese, while his emotional detachment contrasts with his affection for other places and peoples as recounted in other examples of his travel writing. This study aims to contribute towards the present body of scholarship on Madame Chrysantheme in several ways. Firstly, while recognising the work as a travelogue, it analyses it as an example or product of japonisme, a movement hitherto largely attributed to the fine and/or decorative arts. Conversely, it broadens conventional scholarly discussion of japonisme and japonaiserie to include travel writing. Secondly, this investigation is the first book-length study dedicated specifically to Madame Chrysantheme and japonaiserie. Its focus on the interrelationship between japonaiserie and v the literary representation of Loti's first visit to Japan aims to provide a more thorough investigation and analytical combination of the various facets of this relationship than occur elsewhere. In a similar vein, it draws together writing on Loti and Japan, and interrelates and contrasts the various ideas authors have expounded. Lastly, this study aims to stimulate future inquiry into the similarities between Western stereotypical images of Japan that persist in the present-day and those Loti projected over one hundred years ago. In particular, the persistence, right up to the present day, for the Japanesque to predominate over Japan-proper in Western images of Japan, that is to say a preference for aesthetics rather than actuality, is traced to Madame Chrysantheme. VI NOTE TO THE TEXT Where non-English single words and short phrases are cited, these are in italics with no apostrophes. Exceptions are foreign words commonly used in English, names, and 'japonisme' and 'japonaiserie.' Citations are usually given in their original language, followed by a translation into English. Exceptions are instances where the original has been unavailable, or the citation is a lengthy one included for its general idea or themes rather than language. Spelling is standard British, though an individual author's spelling has been retained in citations even if deviating from this. For foreign words whose spelling is conventionally anglicised in English-language texts, the anglicism is used. For less common instances the original transcription is retained: for example, Tokyo is written 'Tokyo' rather than 'Tokyo,' while Ryuunosuke Akutagawa is written 'Ryunosuke Akutagawa' rather than 'Ryunosuke Akutagawa.' Loti's original text has been retained as much as possible. This means that French and Japanese names and phrases have been transcribed as they appear in the 1990 edition of Madame Chrysantheme (Flammarion, edited by Bruno Vercier). VII CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS II ABSTRACT IV NOTE TO THE TEXT VI PART I INTRODUCTION Chapter One Introduction 1 The vocabulary of japonisme and japonaiserie Method of approach The importance of this study Chapter Two Theoretical signposts 11 Orientalism Monologism Reaccentuation Aestheticisation Body idiom Essentialism Chapter Three The life and works of Pierre Loti 19 Loti's life Loti's character Loti's oeuvre 'My little Japanese comedy': synopsis of Madame Chrysantheme Chapter Four The wider reception alld literary context of Madame Chrysantheme 37 Nineteenth-century responses to Madame Chrysantheme Positive responses Negative responses Literature review VIII PART II EXTRA-TEXTUAL ASPECTS: NINETEENTH-CENTURY FRANCE Introduction 51 Chapter Five La mission civilisatrice: colonialism 53 The popular ideology of colonialism The extrapolation of colonial ideology onto Japan The administrative and popular manifestation of colonialism in France 'Scientific racism' and its various manifestations Chapter Six Industrialisation and life in nineteenth-century Paris 63 Industrialisation Life and leisure in late nineteenth-century Paris Chapter Seven Travel or travail? Nineteenth-centulY leisure travel 69 Early travel The expanding travel industry Informative guidebooks Motivations for travel Attitudes towards popular travel Pierre Loti as a nineteenth-century traveller PART III EXTRA-TEXTUAL ASPECTS: PRE-PERRY AND EARLY MEIJI EXCHANGE BETWEEN JAPAN AND THE WEST Introduction 87 Chapter Eight Pre-Perry exchange between Japan and the West 89 Early contact between Japan and the West The era of sakoku or 'national seclusion' The Dutch trading post at Dejima Chapter Nine Westerners in Japan during the nineteenth centwy 97 The Meiji Era The Rokumeikan Era Western visitors to Japan