『悲劇の詩神』研究 : 二人の芸術家像にみる,劇作に惹かれるジェイムズ(<特集>ヘンリー・ジェイムズ『悲劇の詩神』をめぐって-「読み」の可能性を探る-)

概要

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The Tragic Muse (1890) is published in the extremely difficult publishing circumstances: the sale of his books is declining and his correspondence with Macmillan about his royalties anticipates poor sales of his new novel. Being full of creative energy, James is forced to re-examine his artistic means, which eventually leads him to his experiments in the theater in the 'Dramatic Years' which begins in 1891 and continues until 1895. James's dilemma of such state is reflected in his delineation of the two artists, Miriam and Nick, in The Tragic Muse. Miriam is presented as a brilliant and successful actress who enchants her audience as a whole on a London stage, while, Nick, a lonely painter who is not fully convinced of his work. To think of the fact that James often compares a novelist to a painter, such contrastive delineation of Miriam and Nick reflects James's state of mind at this stage: he is inclined to be a playwright, although he knows and is afraid of the unfavorable theatrical world. The Tragic Muse is a turning point in James's career.
2009-03-31