Tin £415 14-4^ Jr THE LIFE AND WORK OF KOBAYASHI ISSA. Patrick McElligott. Ph.D. Japanese. ProQuest Number: 11010599 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 11010599 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 Patrick McElligott. "The Life and Work of Kobayashi Issa., Abstract. This thesis consists of three chapters. Chapter one is a detailed account of the life of Kobayashi Issa. It is divided into the following sections; 1. Background and Early Childhood. 2. Early Years in Edo. 3. His First Return to Kashiwabara. ,4. His Jiourney into Western Japan. 5. The Death of His Father. 6 . Life im and Around Edo. 1801-1813. 7. Life as a Poet in Shinano. 8 . Family Life in Kashiwabara.. 9* Conclusion. Haiku verses and prose pieces are introduced in this chapter for the purpose of illustrating statements made concerning his life. The second chapter traces the development of Issa*s style of haiku. It is divided into five sections which correspond to the.Japanese year periods in which Issa lived. Each section is preceded by selected translations from his work of that period. These selections are made on the basis of their usefulness to illustrate the development of his style of poetry. In their selection the following Japanese works on Kobayashi Issa are the major sources; (a). Kobayashi Issa, by Ito Masao, Sanseido Press. 1942. (b). Kobayashi Issa, by Maruyama Kazuhiko, Ofusha Press 1965. (c). Kobayashi Issa, by Kuriyama Riichi, Chikuma Shobo 3 Press 1970. (d)> Kobayashi Issa, Mukudori no Haijin, by Kaneko Tota Kodansha Press.1981* (e). Haikaiji Issa no Geijitsu, by Murata Noboru, Nishi Nation Tbyobunkakenkyusho. 1969 The text used for all translations is from The Complete Works of Issat published by the Mainichi Shinbunsha between 1976 and 1979»• in nine volumes. The development of Issafs style is traced in relation to the major influences upon it, his rural background, his life of poverty in Edo, the discrimination and loneliness he experienced, the literary influences to which he was exposed, his personality and religious faith and its development through the suffering and misfortune he experienced. Chapter three is a brief account of the history of the study of Issa in Japan. N.B. Japanese year periods, in Japanese nengo, are irregular- numbers of years which coincide with the length of the reign of each emperor. The system was instituted in the 7th. century and has continued ever since. The present year period, Showa, began when the present emperor began his reign in 1926, and will finish when he dies. There have been 231 year periods since the year 645 A.D.. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page no. Title page. 1 Abstract. 2 Table of Contents. 4 A Brief Chronology of Issa's Life. 8 CHAPTER ONE. The Life of Kobayashi Issa. 11-112 1. Background and Early Childhood. 11- 2. Early Years in Edo. 25 3. First Return to Kashiwabara. 43 4. His Journey into Western Japan. 46 5# .The Death of His Father. 61 6 . Life in and Around Edo. 1801-1813. 65 7. Life as a Poet in Shinano. 83 8 . Family Life in Kashiwabara, 91. 9. Conclusion to Chapter One. 99. Nutes on chapter one. 101 CHAPTER TWO.. The Development of Issa*s . Distinctive Style„ 113-577 Introduction to Chapter Two. 113 Section 1. The Kansei Period. 1789-1800. 119; Selected Translations. (a), Kubun. A Ndght's Lodging at Kisagata. 119 (b). Kansei Sannen Kiko. 121 (o). Kansei Kucho. 135 (d). Sajgoku Kiko. 149 The Development of Issa»s Distinctive Style. 155-194 (i). Issa and The Classics of Japanese Literature.. 15 5 (ii).Issa's Consciousness of Basho. 162 (iii).Issa and the Katsushika School of Haiku. 167 (iv).Issa and the TenmeiStyle. 173 (v). Issa and Oemaru. 177 (vi).Issa, Poet of Many Styles. 179 (vii).First Signs of Issa*s Distinctive Style. 181 (viii).issa and Religion. 191 (ix).lssa the Patriot. 193 5 Conclusion. 194 Notes on Chapter Two Section 1. 195 Section 2. The Kyowa Period. 1801-1803. 208-269 Selected Translations. 208 (a). Chichi no Shuen Ndkki. 208 (b). Kyowa Ndnen Ku Ndkki. 229 (c).. Kyowa Kucho". 230 Development of Issa’s Distinctive Style. 239-263 Introduction. 239 (i). Issa and Chinese Studies. 240 (ii).The Theme of Loneliness. 246 (iii).The Theme of Poverty. 250 (iv).Poems on Small and Weak Creatures. 252 (v). Issa’s Observation of the Everyday Life of Ordinary People. 253 (vi).Issa’s Relationship with Seibi, 257 Conclusion. 262 Notes on; Chapter Two Section 2.. 264 Section 3> The Bunka Period. First Half.. 1804-1808. 270-357 Selected Translations. 270 (a). Bunka Kucho. 270 (b). Kubum. The Collapse of the Eidaj Bridge. 298 (c). Kubum Konpira Otsuru. 300 (d). Kubun. A Thorny Flower. 302 (e). Kubun. A Record of My Cherry Blossom Viewing. 303 Development of Issa’s Distinctive Style. 309K351 Introduction. 309 (i). The Theme of Poverty. 310 (ii). The Theme of Loneliness. 313 (iii).Poems on Snail and Weak Creatures. 320 (iv). Issa’s Observations of the Lives of Ordinary People and Everyday Objects. 325 6 (v). The Humorous Aspect of issues Poetry, 3^6 (vi)• Issa*s Use of Colloquial and Every­ day Expressions, 333 (vii).The Religious Factor in Issa*s Work. 339 ('viji) .Expressions of Patriotism. 344 (ix). Issa and Ippyo-. 345 Conclusion. 350 Notes on Chapter Two, Section 3. 352 Section 4.■ The Bunka Period. Second Half. 1810-1817. 358-500 Selected Translations. 358 (a). Nanaban,Nikki. 358 (b). Waga Haru Shu. 419 (c). Kubun. Commiseration Over a Shipwreck. 431 (d). Kubun. Elegy to Nakamura Keikoku. 433 (e). Kubun. A Fifty Year Old Bridegroom. 436 Development of Issa's Distinctive Style. 438-490 Introduction, ’ 438 (i). The Themes of Poverty and loneliness. 442 (ii). Poems on Growing Old. 448; (iii).The Religious Factor in Issa*s Work. 4,55 (iv). Poems on Small and Weak Creatures. 462 (v). Issa*s Poetry About Children. 467, (vi). Issa*s Observation of the Lives of Ordinary People and the Social Aspect of His Poetry* 471 (vii).The Humorous Aspect of Issa*s Poetry. 474 (viii).The Composition of Issa* s Verses. Word Usage and Poetic Devices. 481 (ix). Issa and Conventional Poetry. 488 Notes on Chapter Two, Section 4 . 491 Section 5. The Bunsei Period. 1818-1827. 501-577 Selected Translations. 501 (a). Hachiban Ndkki.. 501 (b). Kubun. A Strange Tale of the Myosen Temple. 516 7 (c). Ora ga Haru. j (d). Kubun. Nlew Year Supplications to Mida Buddha, 524 (e). Kubun. Lament Over the Death of Ishitaro. 525 (f).. Bunsei Kuchb". 52 o (g). Kubun. Lament Over the Death of Konsaburo• ---------- 540 Development of Issa’s Distinctive Style. 544-5,72 Introduction. 544 (i). Issa’s Verses about Children. 552 (ii). The Clear Expression of Issa’s Religious Conclusions. 555 Appendix to Chapter Two, Section 5. 557/ An Introduation to Ora ga Haru and a Critical Assessment of The Year of My Life, by Nobuyuki Yuasa. Notes on Chapter Two, Section! 5. 573 CHAPTER THREE.. A Short History of The Study of Issa in Japan. 578-599 Notes on Chapter Three1. 598 Bibliography. 600 1 8 A Brief Chronology of Issa's Life."*- Year Japanese Year Age Event etc. 1763 Horeki 13 th. 0 Issa horn in Kashiwabara. T765- Meiwa 2nd. 2 Mother dies. tl 1770 7th. 7 Father marries Satsu. 1772" Anr-ei 1st. 9 Step-brother Senroku born. 1775 it 4 th. 12 Poet J'ackuo in Kashiwabara. 1776" it 5th. ' 13 Grandmother dies. 1777 ii 6th. 14 Issa leaves Kashiwabara for Edo* 1787 Tenmei 7th. 24 Now a novice under Ghikua of Katsushika Nijurokuan. 1789 Kansei 1st. 26 Three poems by Issa in 'Haikai Sendai Shu* by Genmu. T790" 1*1 2nd. 27 Chikua dies in Edo. Issa becomes barker* for Somaru. 1791 Kansei 3rd. 28 Travels in Shimosa. .Returns to Kashiwabara for first time. it 1792 4th. 29 Leaves Edo for Shikoku. Begins six year journey to western J'apan, 1793 ii 5th. 30 In Kyushu. n 1794 6th. 31 Kyushu - Shikoku. 1795" ii "7th". 32 Matsuyama - Kyoto - Osaka etc., 1796 ii 8th. 33 Back to Shikoku. 1797 it 9th. 34 Matsuyama - Bizen - Fukuyama. 1798 ii 10 th. 35 Returns to Edofthen to Kashiwabara. 1799 ii 11th. 36 Sets out for Hokuriku region in Maarch, returns in May. It seems he aborted his journey. 1800 it 12th. 37 First record of verse-making with Seibi. 1801. Kyowa 1st. 38 Returns to Kashiwabara, Father dies. Returns to Edo. 1803 ii 3rd. 40 Lives in shrine toolshed in Edo. Travels in Shimosa etc. 1804 Bunka 1st. 41 Moves from shrine to little rented house. 1806 n 3rd. 43 Meets Ippyo at Seibi's. 9 Year Japanese Year Age Events etc. 1807 Bunka 4th. 44 Takii Koshun dies. Returns to Kashiwabara in July and then again in November. 1808 It 5th. 45 Returns to Kashiwabara in July. Returns to Edo in Dec. Rented house re-rented to another. 1809 II 6th. 46 New Year fire in Edo. Returns to Kashiwabara in May. Back in Edo by l)ec.