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Natsume Sōseki

夏目漱石 1867-02-09 – 1916-12-09 日本語版へ

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Biography

Born in Edo (now Tokyo) in 1867 as Natsume Kinnosuke. Graduated from the English Department of Tokyo Imperial University. After teaching at Matsuyama Middle School, Fifth Higher School, and Tokyo Imperial University, he studied in London from 1900 to 1902 under a Ministry of Education scholarship. He debuted in 1905 with "I Am a Cat" (Wagahai wa Neko de Aru) in the magazine Hototogisu, followed by "Botchan" and "Kusamakura". In 1907 he joined the Asahi Shimbun as its exclusive novelist, serializing "Sanshirō", "And Then" (Sorekara), "The Gate" (Mon), "Kokoro", and the unfinished "Light and Dark" (Meian). His later trilogies explored modern Japanese self-awareness under Westernization. He died in 1916 during the serialization of Meian at age 49. He mentored major writers including Akutagawa Ryūnosuke and Terada Torahiko. Along with Mori Ōgai, he is regarded as one of the two pillars of modern Japanese literature.

Literary Schools / Movements

Yoyū-ha (Sōseki school)

Publication Venues (10 venues)Click to filter works by venue

Selected Works (101 works recorded in Aozora Bunko)

  • 吾輩は猫である (I Am a Cat) (1905)
  • 幻影の盾 (Genei no Tate) (1905)
  • 猫の広告文 (Neko no Hiro Kokubun) (1905)
  • 坊っちゃん (Botchan) (1906)
  • 草枕 (Kusamakura (The Three-Cornered World)) (1906)
  • 落第 (Rakudai) (1906)
  • 二百十日 (Ni Hyaku Jū Nichi) (1906)
  • 「自然を写す文章」 (Shizen o Utsusu Bunshō) (1906)
  • 『文学論』序 (Bungaku Ron Jo) (1906)
  • 野分 (Nowake) (1907)
  • 京に着ける夕 (Kyō ni Tsukeru Yū) (1907)
  • 入社の辞 (Nyūsha no Ji) (1907)
  • 虞美人草 (Gubijinsō) (1907)
  • 坑夫 (Kōfu) (1908)
  • 文鳥 (The Java Sparrow) (1908)
  • 『三四郎』予告 (Sanshirō Yokoku) (1908)
  • 三四郎 (Sanshirō) (1908)
  • 正岡子規 (Masaokashiki) (1908)
  • 処女作追懐談 (Shojo Saku Tsuikai Dan) (1908)
  • 文芸は男子一生の事業とするに足らざる乎 (Bungei wa Danshi Isshō no Jigyō to Suru ni Tara Zaru) (1908)
  • 私の経過した学生時代 (Watashi no Keika Shi ta Gakusei Jidai) (1909)
  • 予の描かんと欲する作品 (No Egaka n to Hossuru Sakuhin) (1909)
  • 『それから』予告 (Sore kara Yokoku) (1909)
  • それから (And Then) (1909)
  • 長谷川君と余 (Hasegawa Kun to Yo) (1909)
  • 「額の男」を読む (Gaku no Otoko o Yomu) (1909)
  • 満韓ところどころ (Man Kan Tokorodokoro) (1909)
  • 『煤煙』の序 (Baien no Jo) (1909)
  • 元日 (Ganjitsu) (1910)
  • 門 (The Gate) (1910)

Showing top 30 of 101 works. Read in Japanese for full list.

References