「オリオン座」を読む --自己探求の旅--

Abstract

This report treats "Orion" written by Adrienne Rich, one of the poems in her fifth book, Leaflets: Poems 1965-l968. Through her early days, the constellation, Orion, god of hunting, strength and beauty in a Greek myth was an object of veneration to the poet, though far beyond her reach, at that time. Years later, however, Orion appears to her deprived of its old power and brightness. This change of her attitude toward Orion might be explained by the fact that Rich has held him as a male in less respect than before. But in turn she begins to find other precious qualities in Orion, that is, patience, resolution to fight against his loneliness. Rich comes to project herself as a poet into Orion which is the ideal image of her own self. Now she feels Orion much closer to her. Orion is a male god settled as a constellation in the sky. Rich cannot find something, other than Orion, on which to project herself. This cannot be helped, for the ideal image of woman that Rich wants to create cannot be found in the long tradition, which has been established by male. Thus, no female image that exists in history or myth can meet what she is seeking as an ideal image of herself. Rich looks through the unconscious trying to find the true nature of human beings. She believes in some male elements in women, while some female elements in men, and she recognizes all human beings are lonesome. For reasons above mentioned she chose Orion and projected herself on him.