小説を作るもの若事実を得て満足せば,いづれの処にか天来の妙想を着けむ

English translation: If a novelist is content in depicting reality, where could he express his own unique idea?

21:39 Oct 10, 2015
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
Japanese term or phrase: 小説を作るもの若事実を得て満足せば,いづれの処にか天来の妙想を着けむ
Hello everyone,

I have come across this quote by Mori Ogai in an essay I am translating. He is talking about naturalism in literature.

小説を作るもの若事実を得て満足せば,いづれの処にか天来の妙想を着けむ

Unfortunately this is an atypical job for me, as I have never studied pre-modern Japanese.
Could anyone please help me make sense of this sentence?

Thank you in advance to any who will respond.
Luca Balestra
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:12
English translation:If a novelist is content in depicting reality, where could he express his own unique idea?
Explanation:
The sentence in query can be translated into contemporary Japanese as below:
もしも小説家が事実を得て満足すれば、どこに天来の妙想を付けることができるだろうか?

Ogai is criticising "literary realism" (写実主義), which focuses on depicting reality. The sentence is followed by 「事実は良材なり。されどこれを役することは、空想の力によりて做し得べきのみ。」, which in essence means "Although reality provides a good source for story-writing, it is only through the power of imagination that such reality can be put into good use."

Although 事実を得て literally means obtaining facts, I believe what it means is "depicting facts" because it is all about writing. Since 天来の妙想 is contrasted with factual things and is followed by 空想の力, I would translate it as one's own unique idea. It seems to refer to "brain work" as opposed to facts. "God-given (or awesome) idea" doesn't fit well here.

The original essay by Ogai is as below. (See the last paragraph.)
http://shimohara.net/nitona/bungaku/ogai.htm
Selected response from:

Port City
New Zealand
Grading comment
Thank you!! This is closest to the translation I have decided to go with.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1If a novelist is content with getting facts, where would he add divine inspiration?
Yasuo Watanabe
4If someone like a novelist was satisfied with the facts, where would they attach divine inspiration?
Alex Breeden
3If a novelist is content in depicting reality, where could he express his own unique idea?
Port City


  

Answers


8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
If a novelist is content with getting facts, where would he add divine inspiration?


Explanation:
Literally: If one who crafts a novel is content with getting facts, where would one attach divine inspiration?

Having not read Ogai's essay, this is the best I can do. HTH.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 hrs (2015-10-11 16:34:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alternatively, "...where would you add divinely-inspired ideas?"

Yasuo Watanabe
United States
Local time: 11:12
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Patrick
1 day 13 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
If someone like a novelist was satisfied with the facts, where would they attach divine inspiration?


Explanation:
I agree with ywat's interpretation. The む at the end acts somewhat like だろう in modern Japanese. The only other part that stands out is the 若 or もころ which seems to mean "like."


    Reference: http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/219048/m0u/
Alex Breeden
United States
Local time: 11:12
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
If a novelist is content in depicting reality, where could he express his own unique idea?


Explanation:
The sentence in query can be translated into contemporary Japanese as below:
もしも小説家が事実を得て満足すれば、どこに天来の妙想を付けることができるだろうか?

Ogai is criticising "literary realism" (写実主義), which focuses on depicting reality. The sentence is followed by 「事実は良材なり。されどこれを役することは、空想の力によりて做し得べきのみ。」, which in essence means "Although reality provides a good source for story-writing, it is only through the power of imagination that such reality can be put into good use."

Although 事実を得て literally means obtaining facts, I believe what it means is "depicting facts" because it is all about writing. Since 天来の妙想 is contrasted with factual things and is followed by 空想の力, I would translate it as one's own unique idea. It seems to refer to "brain work" as opposed to facts. "God-given (or awesome) idea" doesn't fit well here.

The original essay by Ogai is as below. (See the last paragraph.)
http://shimohara.net/nitona/bungaku/ogai.htm

Port City
New Zealand
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you!! This is closest to the translation I have decided to go with.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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