SEARCH
Search Details
FUKAMACHI SatoruGraduate School of Intercultural Studies / Department of Cultural-InteractionAssociate Professor
Research activity information
■ Paper- When William Came (1913) is Hector Hugh Munro's (Saki) novel that describes the German invasion of Britain and its aftermath. It has been regarded as a propaganda novel since its publication, calling for conscription and the like; however, its psychological portrayal of Londoners under German rule is worth reading. Though there are studies on the literary and cultural aspects of this work, none have examined how realistic his depiction would be if Britain had lost the war. However, the premise of this work-how to live in a situation where a traditionally powerful nation is defeated and, because it is an island nation, it is impossible to reverse its defeat-can be historically examined. This study examines the accuracy of Munro's imaginings by comparing his imagined post-war British people with real post-World War II Japanese people. Although it can be argued that Munro was optimistic about the existence of the colonies, the results show numerous similarities between the changes in the two populations, before and after the war, and in their feelings towards the victorious nation. Munro's insights into people were surprisingly profound.MDPI, Dec. 2022, HUMANITIES-BASEL, 11(6) (6), English[Refereed]Scientific journal
- When William Came by Saki (H. H. Munro) is a unique novel in the genre of invasion literature. Starting after a fictional war between Britain and Germany, it depicts no scenes of invasion. Recently, there have been studies from the perspective of how Munro and other authors in the genre viewed Germany and Britain. Some studies also refer to Munro’s deliberate lack of depiction of the war. However, it seems that no studies have looked into the reasons why the war is not depicted. This paper argues that the story is not about showing British military unpreparedness but about how psychological weapons work. It could even be said that depictions of war would distract from the focus on propaganda and its effect on people. Considering this work as being about a British and German propaganda war opens up a new perspective that is different from previous studies. When William Came is a work that points out Britain’s unpreparedness for psychological war by imagining and detailing possible propaganda strategies. It has been said that the novel’s ending is unsatisfactory, as it only ends up showing the potential for youth resistance. However, if it is understood that this novel, from beginning to end, is about a propaganda battle, a war that is fought under the surface, then the final chapter can also be understood as a thrilling one.MDPI, Mar. 2021, HUMANITIES-BASEL, 10(1) (1), 1 - 11, English[Refereed]Scientific journal
- Wilde’s only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is widely said to have been rejected by W. H. Smith, but there is no doubt that this did not happen. The letter sent to Wilde by the publisher strongly indicates that W. H. Smith contemplated removing the July issue of Lippincott’s Magazine, but does not go so far as to say that the bookstore did. This letter is the only evidence, however, that this is not absolute. The refusal to sell is mere speculation. The fact that none of Wilde’s contemporaries mentioned the incident of The Picture of Dorian Gray that supposedly happened, while the boycott of George Moore’s Esther Waters, which was much less topical than this one, was widely reported and discussed, provides further evidence that Wilde’s work was not rejected. Given that the censorship of literary works by private enterprises was still topical in the 1890s, it is unbelievable that the rejection of Wilde’s novel would not have been covered by any newspaper. It makes no sense, except to think that such a thing did not exist at all. It is also clear that this was not the case in the 1895 Wilde trial. Wilde’s lawyer argued that the piece was not a social evil because it was sold uninterruptedly, and the other side, which would have liked to take advantage of it in any way, never once touched on the boycott. Therefore, it would be safe to say that W. H. Smith’s refusal to sell did not happen at all.MDPI, Dec. 2020, HUMANITIES-BASEL, 9(4) (4), 1 - 10, English[Refereed]Scientific journal
- Mar. 2020, 英語英文學研究, 64, 41 - 54, JapaneseMilly Theale and Pragmatism in The Wings of the Dove[Refereed]Scientific journal
- 同朋大学日本文学会 ; 2006-, Mar. 2019, 同朋文化, (14) (14), 116 - 102, JapaneseA Study in Criticism Against the Lippincott's Version of "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
- 広島大学文学研究科英文学会, 2015, Phoenix, (75) (75), 1 - 17, Japanese『ドーキングの戦い』にまつわる4ヶ月間の攻防[Refereed]
- It has been said that the sub-genre of Science Fiction called Invasion Literature was popular from 1871 through the outbreak of World War I in Britain. However, from 1872 to 1881, there was a significant decline in this trend. During these ten years, fewer than ten titles were published while more than 20 stories had appeared in 1871, and the stories in that decade have been almost completely ignored by the scholars of this genre. This history might imply the fruitlessness of studying Invasion Literature in that era; however, in order to clarify how the genre had developed, breaking this tradition might yield some fruitful results. One of these stories is The Channel Tunnel; or, England's ruin (1876) written by an anonymous author using a pseudonym, Cassandra. In the story, a German Emperor cunningly plans an invasion of France and England in 1885, and implements the plan accordingly. The war between Germany and France is a synonym of the actual war, the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, and after defeating France, the Emperor encourages his subjects to travel to England through newly constructed submarine tunnel under the English Channel. When the number of the German travelers is at its highest, England is led to declare war against Germany. The war only lasts about a month; England is quickly defeated and consents to paying an incredibly high indemnity. This story can be regarded as a propagandistic work advocating the reinforcement of national defence, and therefore the increase of the military budget. While the author describes the unstoppable enemy forces proceeding to London, he also tells how the English "Economical Government" has made the English army too weak for the demands it might face. The author does not tell the readers what to do clearly; instead of this, he shows them what to think about. The characteristics of the persuasive techniques of this story can be summarized as the selected agenda settings, the limited time setting, and the description of situations arousing fear or anger. This tale contains carefully calculated layers of propagandistic methods. However, it failed to draw public attention. The main reason probably lies in its illogical plot in which ambitious Germany deceives surrounding nations including England, and the Germans successfully land on English soil without any hindrance. However, in contrast with the case of The Battle of Dorking (1871), it might have been impossible for an anonymous author to influence the reading public with an invasion story when there was no public mood of alarm to employ.Although this tale was commercially unsuccessful, it is the earliest example of Invasion Literature that employs the idea of the Channel Tunnel. In 1882, when an actual (though never completed) tunnel under the English Channel was being constructed, more than 600 English public figures, including Lord Alfred Tennyson, signed a petition opposing the construction, in response to the campaign started by a leading journal, The Nineteenth Century. Accordingly, it became highly popular to write invasion stories using the Channel Tunnel as a gateway for invading forces. When The Channel Tunnel was published, the English held somewhat neutral opinions about the tunnel, and this was also true of the Pall Mall Gazette, which the author, Cassandra, expressed high regard for in the story. In that moderate public mood, the alarming story of The Channel Tunnel had appeared, including some remarkably original features. Perhaps, it was published too early. Apart from that theme, The Channel Tunnel also contains an important device; foreign travellers in England turn out to be enemy soldiers or able assistants of an invading force. In the 1890s and the early 20th century, the foreigners in England as a national threat became a typical scenario in Invasion Literature. The most eminent writer using this theme is William Le Queux. He even encouraged the public to report to him if they saw a suspicious foreigner in England by promising them a monetary reward. Hence, The Channel Tunnel, even though a minor work of Invasion Literature, pioneers the use of two important themes.広島大学英文学会, 2015, 英語英文學研究, 59, 53 - 69, Japanese[Refereed]
- 広島大学文学研究科英文学会, 2014, Phoenix, (74) (74), 1 - 18, Japanese『1883年の侵攻』から読み解く英国の本土防衛と反戦思想[Refereed]
- 広島大学文学研究科英文学会, 2013, Phoenix, (73) (73), 15 - 36, EnglishThe Effects of Chesney's Propaganda through The Battle of Dorking in 1871[Refereed]
- 広島大学文学研究科英文学会, 2012, Phoenix, (72) (72), 26 - 40, EnglishThe Purposes of Chesney's Propaganda in The Battle of Dorking[Refereed]
- 広島大学文学研究科英文学会, 2011, Phoenix, 0(71) (71), 33 - 43, EnglishAn Analysis of the Reputation of The Battle of Dorking in 1871[Refereed]
- Feb. 2023, 英文学研究 支部統合号, (15) (15), 23 (227) - 27 (231)Book review
- Mar. 2022, 世界史研究論叢, (11) (11), 88 - 100The Second Armada: A Chapter of Future History. Being a Reply to The German Conquest of England 1875 and the Battle of DorkingOthers
- Single work, 溪水社, Mar. 2020, Japanese, ISBN: 9784863275119「侵攻小説」というプロパガンダ装置の誕生
- 国書刊行会, Jun. 2019, Japanese, ISBN: 9784336063564When William Came (Japanese Translation)
- シンポジウム：大戦とプロパガンダ, Mar. 2023第一次大戦における英国プロパガンダの変遷Nominated symposium
- 2022年度日本クラウゼヴィッツ学会研究大会, Oct. 2022戦争とテクノロジー…歴史、現在、未来（パネリスト）[Invited]Nominated symposium
- 国際文化学研究推進インスティテュート主催 2022年度オンラインセミナー、第3回 新任教員セミナー, Jul. 2022第一次世界大戦期の英国プロパガンダ局(ウェリントン・ハウス) ―その研究と課題―Oral presentation
- 2021年度日本クラウゼヴィッツ学会研究大会、第二シンポジウム：「戦争の前に 第一次世界大戦以前の民間の戦争論」, Oct. 2021イギリスの侵攻小説
■ Research Themes
- JSPS, Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists, Apr. 2019 - Mar. 2023, Principal investigator英国における侵攻小説と第一次世界大戦のプロパガンダ的類似性の研究Competitive research funding
- JSPS, Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows, Apr. 2013 - Mar. 2016, Principal investigatorヴィクトリア朝期の小説における反帝国主義の流行とそのプロパガンダ的特長の研究Competitive research funding