A Study of Literary Document of <I>The Outline of The Canterbury Tales</I> by Tenji (the pen name of Takuzo) Itakura in 1900 (Meiji 33rd)

Abstract

The great English poet Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was noted in some studies or books to have been introduced to Japan in the passage of July 21, 1617 (Genwa 3rd) in The Diary of Richard Cocks. But it was so brief a phrase as written ‘a longe Canterbury tale’ by the Captain R. Cocks in the English Factory in Japan (at Hirado) of The London East India Company that we have no belief in the first introduction of The Canterbury Tales in itself.According to the studies of the late Professor Tokutaro Shigehisa, the real introduction of Chaucer's literature in Japan was made by Rev. James Summers who was from England and invited for Tokyo Kaiseijo (later Tokyo University) during his professoriate between Meiji 6th (1873) and 9th (1876), and then by an American Prof. William A. Houghton between Meiji 10th (1877) and 15th (1882). Of all the students who had been taught by Prof. W. A. Houghton, Yuzo (Shoyo, the literary name) Tsubouchi published his early grand work The History of English Literature in June of Meiji 34th (1901) in which he genuinely introduced the outlines of The Canterbury Tales, other tales and some verses including his translations, as it was realized by the author of this thesis.During the middle period of Meiji Era William Swinton's Outlines of the World's History prevailed as an eminent textbook in schools throughout the country, for example, as in the case at The Shobara English School (庄原英学校) in Hiroshima Prefecture. The textbook indicated a great figure of Chaucer's literature in the history of English literature, which surely edified the knowledge of society, and our native language and literature, in opening young Itakura's eyes to great literary works.In 1917 (Taisho 6th), The Complete Translation of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales by Prof. Kenji Kaneko was published as the first accomplishment in Japan, as was made out as what it was marvellously great by Prof. Mieko Tamai's thesis in 1985.The author, however, would like to emphasize that Takuza Itakura whose age was only twenty-one had carried out to make public The Outline of The Canterbury Tales in “The Keio-gijuku Gahuho” (The Bulletin of Keio University) in Meiji 33rd (1900), by the literary name of “Tenji” (天耳). The author should point out the prominence that his introduction of the outline of The Canterbury Tales appeared characteristic of ‘Kodan’ (講談) quite unique in the way of traditional, classical, or humorous Japanese storytelling. Moreover the author has to indicate my estimation that Prof. Thomas Sergeant Perry from Harvard University taught an ardent student T. Itakura The Canterbury Tales during his professoriate from May of Meiji 31st till June of Meiji 34th (1901) at Keia University. Takuzo Itakura became Professor at the Faculty of Law at Keio University, still later the eminent editorialist of liberalism and democracy as well as the distinguished brain of the late Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida.