The First Translation of F. M. Dostoevsky in Japan

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  • ПЕРВЫЙ ПЕРЕВОД Ф. М. ДОСТОЕВСКОГО В ЯПОНИИ

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Roan Uchida, who translated Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment from English into Japanese for the first time in Japan in such an early time as in the 20's of the Meiji Era, was not a man who made a special study of Russian language and literature. He, however, was quick to discern the essential qualities of the 19th century Russian literature, with which he propelled his literary activities. In this sense it is not unreasonable to rank him even with Shimei Futabatei. In fact Uchida's translation Crime and Punishment had no less influence on the literature of the Meiji Era than Futabatei's famous translations A Secret Meeting and Chance Meetings (by I. S. Turgenev). This fact in the history of modern Japanese literature is made the more significant by the fact that through the roman Crime and Punishment occurred the fortuitous meeting between Uchida and Futabatei and that this translation of Crime and Punishment was realized only in Futabatei's close cooperation with Uchida. There had to be Uchida's superior gift not only as a man of literature but also as a man of Russian literature. Futabatei's excellent tanslation of Russian literature, chiefly of Turgenev's novels, was produced by his excellent gift as a man of literature. Likewise, it would be possible to conceive that Uchida's admirable translation of Russian literature, with Dostoevsky's romans in its center, was also brought forth by his high talent for literature. This article aims at investigating the secret of the great influence which Uchida's translation of Crime and Punishment had on the literature of the Meiji Era, considering together Uchida's two chance meetings: those with Crime and Punishment and with Shimei Futabatei.

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