Kotto - Hearn, Lafcadio

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Résumé :
Journalist-by-trade Lafcadio Hearn used his wanderer's eye and guileless, graceful style to provide elegant chronicles for an English-speaking world fascinated by the exotic sensibilities of Japan. He set himself apart from others who attempted to translate the life and culture of this island country through his ability to reveal the truth of his subjects artfully-flawlessly exemplifying the Japanese aesthetic through his voice, as well as through his tale. In Kotto, first published in 1902, Hearn placed classical fables next to his own discoveries (of a woman's diary, for example) and reflections on the timeless themes of life, death, and meaning, showcasing the simple beauty and ever-present spirituality that define the Japanese ideology. Bohemian and writer PATRICK LAFCADIO HEARN (1850-1904) was born in Greece, raised in Ireland, and worked as newspaper reporter in the United States before decamping to Japan. He also wrote In Ghostly Japan (1899), and Kwaidan (1904).

Biographie:
Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) was born on the Ionian island of Lefkada to a Greek mother and British Army father. His parents' separation and annullment left him, at age 7, the ward of a paternal great-aunt in Dublin. She sent him to Catholic schools in Ireland, France, and England, but family bankruptcy interrupted his education and led to his emigration to America in 1869. His promised contacts proved worthless, and he was left broke and alone in Cincinnati, Ohio. He found work there with the expatriot English printer and socialist Henry Watkin and later as a newspaper reporter for the Daily Enquirer. In 1874 he married Alethea Foley, a 20-year-old African American woman (in violation of Ohio's anti-miscegenation law). They divorced in 1877, and Hearn moved to New Orleans where he lived ten years and wrote for several newspapers, starting with the Daily Item in June 1878, and later for national publications Harper's Weekly and Scribner's Magazine. He went to the West Indies as a correspondent 1887-1890, and then to Japan. He married Koizumi Setsuko in 1891, became a Japanese citizen in 1896, adopting the name Koizumi Yakumo, and taught at high schools and universities. His published books on Japanese culture were instrumental in introducing Meiji Japan to an international audience. He was succeeded as professor of literature at Tokyo Imperial University by Natsume S?seki. Charles Woodward Hutson (1840-1936) was a Confederate veteran, lawyer, painter, author, and professor of Greek and modern languages at Southern colleges.

Sommaire:
Lafcadio Hearn was born in the Greek Ionian Islands on June 27, 1850. When he was 6 years old, he moved from the Island of Leucos to Ireland and was raised by his Irish great-aunt until the age of 16. He was then sent to the US and began working as a journalist, first in Cincinnati and then in New Orleans. He also spent time translating French literature into English and soon developed his own writing style as well as his own interests in storytelling.In 1890, Hearn found his place in life when he traveled to Japan and became enchanted with Japanese culture, history, language, and folklore. His upbringing had been a lonely one, but he soon found his family when he fell in love with Setzu Koizumi and married her in 1891. Hearn became a Japanese citizen, took the name Yakumo Koizumi, and taught at the Imperial University for many years. He and his wife had four children, and it has been recorded that he was a loving father and family man.Lafcadio Hearn's works demonstrate sincere love and devotion for Japan. Most entertaining are his Japanese ghost stories, which give rich insight into the history, culture, and traditions of the Japanese people. These stories were not only widely translated but also adapted into film with the movie Kwaidan in 1964. He remained devoted to Japan until his passing in 1904 at the age of 54....