“桃太郎”在各时代的讲授方式探析

Different understandings of “Momotaro” in different ages

"桃太郎"是日本乃至世界范围广为流传的民话之一。民话"桃太郎"诞生于日本室町时代末期到江户初期之间,从那以后经历了诸多变容,在不同时代以各种方式为人们所讲授。其中,有些时期以朴素而又粗犷的方式讲述该民话;也有些时期和无产阶级结合在一起,把桃太郎作为带有阶级性质的孩子来塑造;更有甚者,民话为日本军国主义所利用,把桃太郎作为侵略之子来描写的时代也曾出现过。诸如此般各具特色的讲授方式,有其相对应的背景来支撑。结合历史背景,分析"桃太郎"在各时代的讲授方式。

As one of the most widely spread folk tales in Japan even across the whole world, Momotaro proves to be born during the period from Muromachi age to the early years of Tokugawa. Since the very birth, it has gone through constant changes and received various understandings from different perspectives in different ages. Some ages have witnessed a simple and rough interpretation while some ages have seen its combination with the Proletarian politics, during which Momotaro has been portrayed as a child with the nature and characteristics of proletarian class. Later it even was exploited by the Japanese militarism and degraded as the son and symbol of imperialism invasion. All kinds of understandings turn out to be supported by different hackgrounds. In this paper, given the respective historical backgrounds, the various understandings in different ages are explored in detail.