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The subject of the study is a partial lexical analysis of basic lexemes, an analysis of their wordbuilding capabilities and the determination of the role of the foundations in motivating words.

More than 200 basic lexemes, taken from professionally oriented technical texts, were subjected to partial lexical analysis, and about 1,000 derivational paradigms were identified [1*].

Methods of observation, interpretation and semantic analysis of metalinguistic contexts were used in the process.

Results. A new understanding of word formation as "the source not only of linguistic names, but also the rules of their formation according to certain models and schemes" [1 **, p.583], in relation to extralinguistic factors, made it possible to significantly deepen and clarify the concept of word formation mechanism in accordance with certain principles.

At the same time, one of the key problems of word formation is the problem of the productivity of the model or the way of word-formation.

Productivity is known to be one of the main characteristics of the most diverse language units. In particular, productivity acquires special significance when characterizing the wordformation model, which is the central mechanism in creating new words. Since in the word formation the notion of productivity, apart from models, extends to affixes, i.e. word-building elements, as well as word-formation methods, the semantics of the word "productivity" itself is very broad. Perhaps, it is this fact that led to the fact that there are no unified opinions among researchers on certain aspects of this concept and even on its main characteristics.

It is important to note that in the word-formation theory "productivity" has a synonymous term - "word-forming activity", which means the ability of one or another formation, for example, the word-formative element, to form new words. The affix-foundation models can be "active in creating new words" [6, p.258], for example, stable – unstable, stability, instability, stabilize, stabilizer, stabilization.

And, conversely, can be "passive" - dense – density or often [7, с.177], i.e. with their help a small number of words can be formed or is not formed at all.

Not all vocabulary is equally variable and mobile. Its stable part is called the basic wordstock. If we take the basic lexeme (basis) as the initial unit, then the word-formation system can be represented in the form of derivational paradigms formed by the basis of different parts of speech.

By now, production in form and motivation in content are recognized as the indisputable established signs of derivational relations in terms.

The basis in English always coincides with the minimal structure of the word in its composition, that determines the entire word system of modern English. The free basis is considered to be the form of the word which is registered in the dictionary.

The basis is dynamic, because, when forming a derivational paradigm, it participates in the process of creating new words (danger – dangerous, dangerously, endanger), on the other hand, it acts as a static element [8, p.98], an independent language unit (oil, exit) .

The connection in the basis of dynamic and static properties is reflected in the fact that it can be producing and non-producing [9, p. 75], i.e. isolated in the structure of a derivative word, but not possessing word-forming activity.

The word-forming activity of the bases, i.e. their participation or non-participation in word formation is determined by the needs of language communication in derivative words that can be derived from them.

In connection with this, linguistics uses the concepts of word-formation "potency" and "valency", which were first applied by M.D. Stepanova [10, p.114].

By "potency" of the word [1 **, p.420] we mean the ability which is inherent in the basis of the word to generate new semantically and grammatically dependent words from it, and by "valency" - the ability of the bases to come in combination with word-building affixes or "syntactic links with other elements "[1 **, p.234].

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The word-forming potential of the basic stem, first of all, depends on its belonging to the partial series. In this regard, we have combined the basic lexemes into five basic partial grammatical series (according to the significant parts of speech): 1) nominative, 2) verbal, 3) adjectival, 4) adverbial, 5) numeric.

As a result, it was revealed that the bases of the nominative and adjectival series possess the highest potency because they can participate in the production of nouns, adjectives and adverbs - hazard – hazardous; usual – usually.

They are followed by the foundations of the verbal series which form nouns and adjectives in modern English - extend – extension – extensive.

The adverbial and numeric bases whose possibilities are limited by adverbs and numerals are characterized by the lowest potency - usually – unusually; five – fifteen.

The word-forming activity of the above-mentioned partial series can be represented in percentage as follows:

-the bases of the nominative and adjectival series accounts for 40% and 30% , respec-

tively;

-the foundations of the verbal series occupy about 20%;

-the adverbial and numeric bases are low-potential - about 5% for each.

As a result of the activity of the basic bases, derivational paradigms are formed, they unite mono-basic derivatives of the same word-formation cycle, but of different derivational meaning. The word-formation cycle begins with the basis of the motivating word, it selects those affixes that are not contraindicated to it structurally-grammatically and semantically. It should be noted that the word-forming tact is saupposed to be the stage of the derivation process, as a result of which derivative lexemes were formed from the common basic lexeme, but with the help of different affixes. As an example, consider the following model - flame – flammable – flaming.

At this stage, in the first word-formation cycle, we have a derivative basis flammable, which in the next word-formation cycle will be the producing basis, from which, in its turn, new derivative lexemes are formed - flammable – flammability – inflammability.

The word-formation ties were most thoroughly traced in the work of M.V. Nikitin, where he analyzed the completeness of word-building series [11, p.107].

In describing derivational paradigms we characterize the foundations of their wordforming activity highlighting the micro-polar and macro-polar bases.

The bases forming one derivational paradigm are refered to the micro-polar bases. To the macropolar bases we refer the ones involved in the formation of several paradigms. Schematically, the derivational paradigms can be represented as follows:

Scheme 1. Micropolar suffixal paradigm

Basic lexeme

In the proposed scheme, the basic lexeme forms only one paradigm - a series of lexemes of one word-forming cycle.

The following lexemes can be the examples of derivational paradigms formed from micropolar bases of:

verbal series - extinguish – extinction – extinguishing – extinguisher – extinguished – extinguishment; nominative series- vacancy – vacant.

In the case of a macropolar basis, the scheme may be more branched:

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Basic lexeme

In this scheme, a basic lexeme, capable of forming derivative lexemes with suffixes and prefixes, is represented, i.e. the basis has two polarities.

To the lexemes formed from macropolar bases, it is possible to refer the following of nominative series - flame – flammable – flaming – flamed or flame – inflammable – inflamed

– inflammation; also - view – viewer or view – reviewing – review – reviewer, and the following can be referred to - charge – charging – charged and charge – discharge – recharge – recharging; verbal series (employ – employee – employer – employment – employed) or (employ – unemployed – unemployment), (assemble – assembly) and (assemble – disassemble), (operate – operable – operative – operation – operator) and (operate – inoperable). [2*, 3*]

As it was noted above, the nominative and adjectival series are the most productive.

The greatest number of suffixes presents in the sphere of the bases of the nominative series, from which nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs can be formed. A significantly less quantity of suffixes serves the bases of the adjective series.

The paradigm formed by the non-morphological method - the conversion paradigm – can be referred to the word-forming paradigm.

Verbal paradigms are created from the bases of the nominative series, first of all, by the method of conversion, not very often - from the bases of the adjectival series, and in some cases - from the bases of the adverbial series.

Let us consider an example of paradigms created on two bases of a nominative series. One of the paradigms in this model will be formed by the way of composing, i.e. by combining two basic foundations (‘search’ + ‘light’ = ‘searchlight’). In addition, each of the bases will form its own paradigms (‘search’ – ‘searching’, ‘researcher’, ‘research’) (‘light’ – ‘light’, ‘lighter’, ‘lighten’,’ lighting’, ‘light up’), i.e.in this case we are dealing with bipolar paradigms, which are affixal and non-zero ways of forming lexical units.

Similar paradigms will be characteristic for both the adjectival and the numeric series. The most interesting case is a combinatorial paradigm formed from a basis and a derivative of another basis (‘sixty-one’, where 'sixty' is a derivative of 'six', and 'one' is an independent basis).

The verbal basis realizes its word-forming possibilities in a series, which, as a rule, allows no more than two derivatives, and the stock of suffixes considerably exceeds these possibilities, as it was noted by T.M. Belyaeva [12, p.137].

Ability to create new models with the suffix -ion, -ation will be characterized by higher indicators, because these suffixes select the original verbs ending -ate, -ize, and this morphological category of verbs, especially in the language of scientific prose, grows very quickly.

In the nominative series, we considered a paradigm built by the way of composing, while the verbal series does not have such a paradigm. Verbal bases are also characterized by low activity in the formation of adjectives. The only exception is the model with the suffix -able, which leads to the constant formation of new words.

The formation sphere of prefix paradigms turned out to be semantically narrow and completely detached from the morphological categories of the verb.

A characteristic feature of prefix paradigms in the English language is that they are formed mainly in the sphere of nominative and adjectival series. Accordingly, the number of

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prefixes selected by the bases of nouns and adjectives is significantly greater than that combined with verbal bases.

The secondary role of prefixation in the verbal word-production is explained by the fact that the English prefixes have given way to postpositives, and the verb has acquired the spatial, species, temporal and amplifying motivations in verbal postpositive combinations that deserve a separate examination.

Because of this, the study of one more derivational paradigm, namely, postpositive, involved in the formation of new verb units (composite verbs) was interesting as well for us. For this reason we analyzed the verbal formations evolved from the bases of the verbal series with the participation of postpositive units. Along with this, the role of the postpositive unit, its functions and correlation with homonymous parts of speech (an adverb and a preposition) was considered.

It should be noted that monosyllabic verbal bases are very active in formation of new verbal units, due to their compatibility with elements that are called differently in linguistics: adverbs, preposition-like-adverbs, prepositions of adverbial origin, postpositive prefixes, postpositives or even prepositions [13, p.344].

But the postpositive is not a preposition, it is a special part of speech. Postpositives are homonymous with prepositions and adverbs, but radically differ in function.

The preposition expresses the connections between words in the sentence, and the postpositive does not possess any syntactic links beyond the limits of the combination with the verb. (To look at - in this case 'at' serves as a means of linking words in a sentence and is a preposition; (bring up - educate) - postpositive. Postpositives differ from the homonymous pronouns because they can not be an independent members of the sentence and can not express the sign of an action that would be thought of as something separate from this action. Down in the valley there stood a small cabin - adverb. He did not sit down - postpositive.

What are these formed combinations (verb + postpositive)? They are quite separate units:

1)graphically – are written separately;

2)phonetically - the second element (postpositive) is always under stress;

3)grammatically - the second element can be separated by other words.

But, to some extent, the components of the given combination are connected semantically and either 1) form a single semantic whole; (carry out, come across) or 2) retain a certain independence (put on, sit down).

These foundations are polysemantic. They have both direct and portable meanings - bring up or fall off (about tree-leaves) [14, p.51].

They often have synonyms among single-word verbs, mostly borrowed - (fall out – quarrel; make up – reconcile; blow out – explode; get back – return).[4*]

According to their stylistic reference, these combinations belong to colloquial speech. In connecting with the verb, the postpositive can:

1) clarify the direction of movement expressed by the verb - (go out, run away, fly

off );

2)change the species characteristic of the verb – (sell out, finish up, come up);

3)give the expressiveness to the verb or enhance its meaning - (shut up, kneel

down);

4)significantly change the meaning of the verb - (blow, blow out, blow up; break, break in, break out; give, give in, give up) [2**]

In the first case, both components retain their lexical values and the value of the whole is

easily derived from them.

In the second and the third cases, the lexical meaning of the postpositive itself is evened

out.

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The latter type differs idiomatically and the value of the whole is not derived from the value of the components.

Next, we need to clarify the concepts of the nominator and the fixator we will operate with, while classifying compound verbs and proceeding from their functional analysis.

A nominator is a unit that, by its own, is capable of actualizing in the consciousness the concept designated.

The fixator is a unit that actualizes the meaning associated with it only in combination with the nominator as a part of its meaning.

So, the compound verbs can be classified into: 1)stable expressions – (fall out , leave off, come off ).

These word-combinations form a single whole, their meaning is not derived from the constituent components, and the lexical value of the main component - the nominator - is due to the presence of a minor component - the fixator.

2) free combinations, in which:

the second component (fixator), retaining its nominative function, specifies the lexical value of the first component (nominator) – (come back , go in, come down )

the second component, partially retaining the nominative function, changes the aspect of the first component (nominator) - (eat up , stand up, speak out);

the second component, losing its nominative function, intensifies the lexical value of the first component (nominator) - (end up, talk away).

The separation between stable expressions and free combinations is not always clear, because stable expressions are essentially free combinations, which gradually have become stereotypes.

The difference is that in stable expressions the verb acquires a new connotation and in free combinations the connotation is retained , but its boundaries expand.

It should be noted that in the postpositive series there is a number of postpositives that are prone to the formation of both stable expressions and free combinations (in, over, up, out).

Thus, having taken that the lexical unit is formed from the basis , which is considered as the initial unit, we subdivided the basic lexemes into partial series and revealed the bases characterized by high and low derivational activity.

Such partial-lexical approach allows us to reduce the whole set of words of the derivative structure of modern English into one system. This approach facilitates the study of the wordformation system of the language.

As a result of our studies, we have come to the following conclusion:

Conclusion.

The most high-potential bases of the nominative and adjectival series are followed by verbal bases which are characterized by higher activity in the production of nouns, but low potential ability in the production of adjectives (in comparison with the nominative basis); Then, we can place the bases of the adverbial and numerical series, as the least word-forming ones.

The quantitative and qualitative characteristics of derivational paradigms formed from basic lexemes allow us to speak about micro-polar and macro-polar bases. The most macroscopic polarities are found in the bases of the nominative and verbal series, the adverbial and numerical bases can be more related to the micropolar ones.

There is a quantitative dependence of the derivational paradigms and their morphemic fillability from the partial-lexical series.

One of the ways of supplementation of the English vocabulary is the postpositive, which occupies a special place in the word-formation process; In postpositive combinations, the verb receives spatial, temporal, specific and amplifying motivations.

Compound verbs often have a situational character and are freely formed by speakers; the English compound verbs have their single-word verbs equivalents in Russian;

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The separate postpositive lexeme has its own nominative function, which it transfers to the nominative function of the verb, fixing a certain meaning in the given verb, thus either changing its semantics and creating a new connotation, or expanding the connotation while concretizing the already existing semantics.

When studying a foreign language the process of supplement the vocabulary can pass with more intensity and productivity, if along with the assimilation of new lexemes, students will receive information about the models on which these words can be derived from singleroot lexemes, and in practice participate in the creation of such models.

Bibliographic list

1.Bloh M.Ja. Teoreticheskaja grammatika anglijskogo jazyka / M.Ja. Bloh – M.: Vysshaja shkola, 2000. – 381 s.

2. Dubenec, Je.M. Sovremennyj anglijskij jazyk: leksikologija: uchebnoe posobie dlja studentov gumanitar. vuzov / Je.M. Dubenec. - M.: Glossa - Press, 2004. - 192 s.

3.Zabotkina V.I. Novaja leksika sovremennogo anglijskogo jazyka / V.I. Zabotkina – M.: Vysshaja shkola, 1989. – 126 s.

4. Fomina Z.E. Kul'turno-gastronomicheskie smysly v evropejskom i russkom jazykovom soznanii (na materiale nemeckih chislovyh frazeologizmov) / Z.E. Fomina // Nauchnyj vestnik Voronezh. gos. arh.-stroit. un-ta. Sovremennye lingvisticheskie i metodiko-didakticheskie issledovanija. – 2013. – vyp. 2(20). – S. 43-56.

5.Fomina Z.E. Meteorologicheskie poslovichnye primety s imenem svjatogo v nemeckom lingvokul'turnom soobshhestve / Z.E. Fomina // Nauchnyj vestnik Voronezh. gos. arh.- stroit. un-ta. Sovremennye lingvisticheskie i metodiko-didakticheskie issledovanija. – 2015. – vyp. 2 (26). – S. 129-146.

6.Arnol'd, I.V. Leksikologija sovremennogo anglijskogo jazyka: uchebnoe posobie / I.V. Arnol'd. - 2-e izd., pererab. - M.: FLINTA: Nauka, 2012. - 376 s.

7.Budagov R.A. Novye slova i znachenija // Chelovek i ego jazyk / R.A. Budagov – M.: MGU, 1976. – 283 s.

8.Karashhuk P.M. Slovoobrazovanie anglijskogo jazyka / P.M. Karashhuk – M.: Vysshaja shkola, 1977. – 314 s.

9.Dmitrieva Je.I. O roli imennyh osnov v slovoobrazovanii sovremennogo anglijskogo jazyka / Je.I. Dmitrieva – Minsk: 1971. – 113 s.

10.Stepanova M.D. Teorija valentnosti i valentnostnyj analiz. / M.D. Stepanova – M.: Vysshaja shkola, 1973. – 183 s.

11.Nikitin M.V Leksicheskoe znachenie slova / M.V. Nikitin – M.: Vysshaja shkola, 1983. – 127 s. 12.Beljaeva T.M. Slovoobrazovatel'naja valentnost' glagol'nyh osnov v anglijskom jazyke

/ T.M. Beljaeva – M.: Vysshaja shkola, 1979. – 184 s.

13.Kachalova K.N., Izrailevich E.E. Prakticheskaja grammatika anglijskogo jazyka: Uchebnik. M.: JuNVES, 2001. – 603 s.

14.Andrijanova, T.A. Znachenie proizvodnogo slova / T.A. Andrijanova // Inostran-nye jazyki v vysshej shkole. - 2010. - №1 (12). - S. 49-53

Analyzed sources

1*.URL:http://www.fire-protection-design/fire-safety-buildings-under-construction (vremja obrashhenija - 03.03.16).

2*.URL:http://www.ecodes.biz/ecodes_support/free_resources (vremja obrashhenija – 04.03.16).

3*.URL:http://flameretardants.americanchemistry.com/Building-Construction/Fire- Safety-Requirements (vremja obrashhenija – 22.02.16).

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4*.URL:http://www.unidocs.org/fire/un (vremja obrashhenija – 14.03.16).

5*.URL:http://www.usfa.fema.gov/operations/ (vremja obrashhenija – 14.03.16).

Dictionaries used

1**. Lingvisticheskij jenciklopedicheskij slovar' Gl. red. V.N. Jarceva, - M,: Sov. Jenciklopedija, 1990. -814 s.

2**. Grin D. Slovar' novyh slov Green Jonathon. Dictionary of New Words. – M.: Veche, Persej, 1996. – 352 s.

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INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

UDC 1:801

OGAI MORI AS ANTI-FAUST

Yoshito Takahashi

____________________________________________________________________________

Kyoto University, Japan Professor Emeritus, Yoshito Takahashi

____________________________________________________________________________

Statement of the problem. Mori Ogai (1862-1922) is often called “The Japanese Goethe”. Like Goethe, he is not only a great poet, but also a naturalist, a military man and a politician. Moreover, he is a famous researcher of Goethe`s creative works. In his novel “Youth” (1911), that is often compared to Goethe`s work “Wilhelm Meister`s Years of Education” (“Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre”), Mori Ogai opposes the European type of soul to the Japanese one. While the first, circulating only around the “I” is based on the individualism, the second, being of great importance for the Japanese understanding of soul, is based on the attitude of the “I” to others. Hence, the other theme of the Ogai creative works is worth mentioning: self-sacrifice, which is treated by him in his famous novel “Sensyo the Governour” (“Sanshô dayû”) (1915).

Results. Self-sacrifice for Ogai is serving to the others, that demonstrates the real individualism. The will to live and even to die for the others has led him to the idea of self-denial or humility. The late Ogai has vividly illustrated this idea by the image of respect over “an empty cart”, that contains “Nothing”, that, however, is a spiritual value. In this case, Ogai`s spiritual state is similar to the late Goethe, i.e. to the sense of self-denial so typical of him.

Conclusion. Though Ogai was the first writer who translated Goethe`s “Faust” into Japanese, the idea of selfexaltation of this work remained alien to him. The kabuki performance “Urashima and the Treasure Chest” (1902) is the opposite to the Goethe drama, “Anti-Faust” of a sort. While the 80-year-old Faust turns to the 20 year-old young man by the forces of a miraculous drink, the young Urashima Taro having returned from the dragon palace instantaneously turns to the old man, having opened, despite all the bans, the Treasure Chest that he has brought from there.

This transformation immerses Urashima into the state of indifference. This sense is not the Faust personal selfrealization, but the feeling Ogai has been experiencing together with Urashima.

Key words: Goethe, Mori Ogai, “The Japanese Goethe”, “Sanshô dayû”, European individualism, the Japanese type of thinking, my “I”, altruistic individualizm, contradiction, self-denial, “Anti-Faust”, Urashima Taro, the

West, the East.

OGAI MORI ALS ANTI-FAUST

Yoshito Takahashi

____________________________________________________________________________

Prof. em. an der Universität Kyoto, Japan

Yoshito Takahashi

____________________________________________________________________________

Nicht selten wird Ogai MORI (1862-1922) der „japanische Goethe“ genannt. Wie Goethe war er nicht allein ein großer Dichter, sondern auch Naturwissenschaftler, Militär und Politiker. Außerdem war er ein bekannter Goe- the-Forscher. In seinem Roman Die Jugend (1911), der oft als Ogais Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre angesehen wird, vergleicht er die europäische Geistesart mit der japanischen. Während jene auf einem Individualismus basiert, der sich lediglich um das „Ich“ dreht, legt diese Gewicht auf das Verhältnis des „Ichs“ zu den anderen. In diesem Zusammenhang ist auch ein anderes Thema Ogais zu sehen: die Selbstopferung, die Ogai in seinem sehr bekannten Roman Sansho Dayu (1915) thematisiert.

___________________

© Takahashi Y., 2017

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Für Ogai war die Selbstopferung ein Dienst für die anderen, in dem der echte Individualismus zum Ausdruck kommt. Der Wille, für die anderen zu leben und sogar zu sterben, führte ihn zum Gedanken der Selbstlosigkeit oder Resignation. Der späte Ogai veranschaulichte diesen Gedanken in dem Bild der Ehrfurcht vor der „leeren Karre“, deren Inhalt zwar „Nichts“ ist, die aber doch geistige Größe repräsentiert. Hier näherte sich Ogai der inneren Haltung des späten Goethe, d.h. dem Gefühl der Entsagung.

Zwar war Ogai der erste, der Goethes Faust ins Japanische übersetzte, aber der darin enthaltene Gedanke der Erweiterung des „Selbst“ blieb ihm fern. Sein Kabuki-Schauspiel Urashima und ein Schatzkästchen (1902) ist ein Gegenkonzept zu Goethes Drama, ein „Anti-Faust“. Während der 80-jährige Faust mittels eines Zaubertranks zu einem Jüngling von 20 wird, verwandelt sich der junge Taro Urashima auf der Stelle in einen Greis, als er vom Drachenpalast zurückkehrt und das Schatzkästchen, das er dort bekommen hatte, gegen alle Verbote öffnet. Diese

Erfahrung versetzt Urashima in den Zustand der Resignation. Diese Empfindung − und nicht die faustische Selbstverwirklichung − war es, die Ogai selbst mit Urashima teilte.

Key words: Goethe, Mori Ogai, „Goethe in Japan“, „Faust“,„Sansho Dayu“, der europäische Individualismus, die japanische Geistesart, “das Ich”, der altruistische Individualismus, Gegensatz, Resignation, “Anti-Faust”, Urashima Taro, Westen, Osten.

Ogai MORI (1862-1922; meist nur „Ogai“ genannt) und Soseki NATSUME (1867-1916; meist nur „Soseki“ genannt) sind die zwei großen Dichter der Meiji-Zeit in Japan. Beide wurden von der japanischen Regierung nach Europa geschickt, um die europäische Kultur und Zivilisation kennen zu lernen. Ogai hielt sich von 1884 bis 1887 als Arzt in Leipzig, München und Berlin auf. In Berlin arbeitete er bei H. H. R. Koch auf dem Feld der Hygiene und wurde von diesem hoch geschätzt. Soseki war ursprünglich Anglist, lebte von 1900 bis 1903 in London und litt dort unter einer Neurose. Ogai dagegen verfügte frei über die deutsche Sprache und genoss das Leben in Deutschland.

Die beiden gingen von Anfang an davon aus, dass die Zivilisation in Europa weit entwickelter als die japanische sei. Doch der europäische Individualismus verwirrte sie sehr. Sie fühlten eine gewisse schwer überbrückbare Kluft zwischen der europäischen und der japanischen Geistesart. Ist es möglich, dass Japaner wie Europäer individualistisch werden können? Das war eine dringende Frage für beide.

In diesem Beitrag geht es um Ogais Auseinandersetzung mit dem europäischen Individualismus. Während seines Aufenthalts in Berlin verliebte er sich in eine deutsche Tänzerin, was den Anlass für sein erstes dichterisches Werk „Die Tänzerin“ (Maihime, 1890) gab. Der Protagonist dieser Novelle, Toyotaro, auf dem die Hoffnungen seiner Familie und des Staates ruhen, studiert in Berlin. Eines Tages begegnet er einer jungen Tänzerin namens Elis. Er hilft ihr in ihrer Armut und verliebt sich in sie. Diese Liebesbeziehung verhindert ihn, auf dem Feld der

Bürokratie Karriere zu machen. Toyotaros Freund Aizawa macht sich große Sorgen um ihn und will ihn retten. Er drängt ihn, mit ihm nach Japan zurückzukehren und die Liebesbeziehung zu Elis abzubrechen. Von Toyotaro verlassen, fällt Elis in Verzweiflung und wird geistesgestört.

Das Motiv des Verrats an der Geliebten ist auch in Goethes „Faust I“ zu finden. Nur in dieser Hinsicht ähneln sich Ogais „Tänzerin“ und Goethes „Faust“, wobei Faust jedoch sein Streben „zum höchsten Dasein“ (V. 4685) auch nach dem Tode Gretchens fortsetzt. Im ersten und zweiten Teil von „Faust“ scheitert das andauernd auf Höheres zielende Bestreben Fausts wegen der Intrigen von Mephistopheles immer wieder. Vor allem im zweiten Teil erleiden alle seine „modernen“ Unternehmungen Schiffbruch: sein Versuch, durch Emittierung von unkonvertierbarem Papiergeld die finanzielle Flaute des Heiligen Römischen Reichs zu überwinden, sein Experiment, den künstlichen Menschen Homunculus zu schaffen, und das Projekt, durch die Entwässerung eines Küstenstreifens dem Volk neues Land zu gewinnen. Trotz seines wiederholten Scheiterns wird Faust letzten Endes gerettet, weil er sich in seinem Streben nicht beirren lässt. Der Mensch soll sich stets hohe Ziele setzen. Das ist die allbekannte Lebensanschauung Fausts.

Ogais Geschichte der „Tänzerin“ endet dagegen letztlich im Scheitern. Toyotaro hält es für sicher, dass die Liebesbeziehung mit Elis seine Karrierepläne vereitelt hat. Mit Aizawas Hilfe kehrt er aber wieder nach Japan zurück, wo es ihm doch noch möglich ist, eine höhere

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Stellung zu erreichen. Dennoch kann er nicht mehr glauben, dass das Erreichen seiner Karriereziele der Weg der faustischen Selbstverwirklichung wäre. Das einzige, das er für wahr hält, ist die Liebe zu Elis, die aber durch die freundliche Hilfe von Aizawa zerstört wurde. Die Novelle endet mit Toyotaros Klage: „Ach, ein Freund wie Aizawa ist sehr schwer zu kriegen. Trotzdem bleibt in mir ein Hauch des Gefühls, ihn zu hassen“. Diese Worte bezeugen, dass er weder an Karriere noch an Liebe weiterhin glauben kann und ratlos geworden ist.

Schon zu Lebzeiten wurde Ogai als „Goethe in Japan“ bezeichnet.2 Er hielt sich zu Studienzwecken längere Zeit in Deutschland auf und übersetzte Goethes „Götz von Berlichingen“ und „Faust“ sowie Bielschowskys und Kuno Fischers „Goethe“ ins Japanische. So wie Goethe sich als Dichter, Naturwissenschaftler, Politiker, Intendant, Schauspieler und Maler in verschiedenen Bereichen betätigte, arbeitete auch Ogai auf vielfältigen Gebieten als Dichter, Mediziner, Militär, Direktor eines staatlichen Museums und Berater für die Regierung. Aber anders als Goethe erfüllte es ihn nicht mit Stolz, dass er mancherlei Begabungen hatte. Er konnte kaum fühlen, dass er etwas erreicht hatte. Dieser Seelenzustand Ogais erinnert uns an Fausts berühmten Monolog:

Ein ganz ähnlicher Monolog ist in Ogais „Nakajikiri“ (Zwischenpause, 1917) zu finden:

Das hohe Alter kommt mir immer näher entgegen.

Indem das Licht der Hoffnung auf die Zukunft immer schwächer wird, pflegt man sich nach der Vergangenheit zurückzusehen. Im hohen Alter tritt man in die retrospektive Welt.

Ich studierte Medizin und arbeitete in dieser Sphäre, ich bekam jedoch in diesem Bereich keinen Ruhm.

[...]

Als Dichter wurde ich einigermaßen anerkannt. [...] Da ich, Naturwissenschaftler, im Feld der Philosophie leider kein einheitliches Naturbild haben konnte, suchte ich in der Philosophie des Unbewussten Hartmanns eine vorläufige Stütze. [...] Ich konnte aber keine eigene Philosophie aufbauen. Mit der Geschichte wollte ich mich nicht beschäftigen, aber die Begegnungen mit verschiedenen Leuten und deren Laufbahnen ließen mich deren Biographien verfassen. [...]

2 Masajiro Kojima: Mori Ogai“. In: Gendai Nihon Bungaku Taikei“ (Gesammelte Werke der modernen japanischen Literatur). Bd. 7. Tokyo, Chikuma 2000, S. 411.

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