The 19th Century Novel Podcast

EPISODE 56: Elizabeth Gaskell, "Mary Barton" (1848), Part Four

Chapters 31-32: 0:00—Mary’s trials. 4:47—Jem’s trial.  7:01—Beatrice Cenci. 12:20—Dear reader. 31:56—Interlude.

Chapters 32-33: 33:03—Courting Jem. 38:14—Where is she? 43:16—Mothers. 46:43—A wan, feeble figure. 48:30—Interlude.

Chapters 34-38: 49:36—Mary opens her eyes. 51:12—The blood-shedder. 55:43—Jem’s job. 56:22—Words of love. 59:20—Carson’s pain. 1:03:51—Child care. 1:07:27—The oppressed creature. 1:09:27—God’s plan. 1:15:58—Taught by suffering. 1:17:39—Crushed butterfly. 1:20:15—Canada. 1:21:07—Interlude.

Conclusion: 1:22:14—Unrepresentative representations. 1:25:36—Blaming the poor. 1:26:41—The animosity of irritated workmen. 1:27:47—Fear of violence. 1:29:00—Ideological confusion. 1:29:52—Extreme and unrepresentative. 133:13—Good masters. 1:34:34—Too many deaths. 1:35:40—Love & labor. 1:37:26—An evasion. 1:41:48—Avoiding the problem. 1:44:48—Closing.

Text: Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton. 1848. Oxford Univ. Press, 2006.

Interludes: Frederic Chopin, Scherzo no. 3, in C# minor (1839), performed Jacob Katsnelsonm, 2015 (www.jacobkatsnelson.com). 

Image: Portrait of Elizabeth Gaskell by George Richmond, 1851 (Wikipedia).

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EPISODE 55: Elizabeth Gaskell, "Mary Barton" (1848), Part Three

Chapters 15-18: 0:00—Barton’s burden. 2:30—Communism manifesting.  4:46—A strike in Manchester. 7:27—Harry vs. Jem.  9:39—Masters & Men meet. 12:54—Drawing contempt. 15:26—Drawing lots. 20:50—“Good-bye to ye.” 23:23—The Irish. 38:28—Murder! 46:37—Interlude.

Chapters 19-30: 47:25—Anosognosia. 53:33—Arrested romance. 1:00:54—Victorian melodrama. 1:03L52—Esther returned. 1:08:58—A piece that fits. 1:10:54—Seeking an alibi. 1:13:35—House of correction. 1:15:59—Mary & Jane & Margaret. 1:19:11—Purple haze. 1:25:51—Going down to Liverpool. 1:27:51—Crossing the bar.

Text: Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton. 1848. Oxford Univ. Press, 2006.

Interlude:  Robert Schumann, Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor (1847), performed by the Claremont Trio, Jan. 26, 2025 (Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum).

Additional music: "Crossing the Bar," by Alfred Tennyson (1889), music by Joseph Barnby (1893), performed by the Edison Mixed Quartet (1913); UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive.

Image: Portrait of Elizabeth Gaskell by George Richmond, 1851 (Wikipedia).

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EPISODE 54: Elizabeth Gaskell, "Mary Barton" (1848), Part Two

Chapter 7: 0:00—Morose & sour. 4:33—Typhoid. 5:03—The underworld. 11:31—Brute tribes.  13:53—The Davenports. 16:20—City life. 19:07—Rags to riches. 20:49—Meeting the master. 25:22—The ghoul. 32:17—Unpolished Jem. 34:39—Mary’s fantasy. 36:49—Interlude.

Chapters 8-10: 37:26—Unrelenting depression. 42:44—Criminal sentence. 45:47—Chartism. 49:17—When Harry used Sally. 52:04—Chartist failure. 54:26—“Song of Slaughter.” 56:26—Crawling through life. 57:41—Visions of the future. 59:34—After angry words. 1:02:58—Bad parenting. 1:05:01—Jem & Jane. 1:06:15—Opium for the masses. 1:09:56—A woman of no doubtful profession. 1:13:00—Interlude.

Chapters 11-14: 1:13:36—Dear Mary. 1:18:13—Mary, Mary quite contrary. 1:20:32—A little touch of Harry in the night. 1:24:39—An impossible distance. 1:26:05—Will & Alice.  1:27:21—Courts & grubs. 1:32:21—The story of Esther. 1:35:15—The seeds of vice. 1:45:11—Someone should die. 1:47:13—1848. 1:49:21—Closing.

Text: Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton. 1848. Oxford Univ. Press, 2006.

Interludes: Robert Schumann, Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54 (1847), performed by La Scala Orchestra with Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, conducted by Antonio Pedrotti, 1942 (Classical Cat).

Image: Portrait of Elizabeth Gaskell by George Richmond, 1851 (Wikipedia).

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EPISODE 53: Elizabeth Gaskell, "Mary Barton" (1848), Part One

Chapter 1: 0:00—Backwater Manchester. 4:08—Cottage industry. 5:33—Proto-industrialization. 8:55—Urbanization & Industrialization. 11:42—Childhood in Knutsford, school in Stratford, marriage in Manchester. 14:38—The novel begins. 18:18—Factory girls. 22:36—A murky blot. 26:54—The Bartons & The Wilsons. 29:35—Lanky maggots.  31:49—Working women. 36:22—Class resentment.  40:15—Meeting Mary. 40:53—Interlude.

Chapter 2-6: 41:36—Meeting Manchester. 42:50—The Bartons’ home. 45:33—Some nettles. 48:10—Alice’s residence. 49:42—Silver Fork vs. Industrial novels. 50:50—Hidden lives. 53:46—Real lives. 55:42—Dirty looks. 59:17—“Oh, mother, mother!” 1:02:16—A changed man. 1:03:21—The necessaries of life. 1:07:42—Gaskell’s loss. 1:08:53—Mary’s work. 1:10:52—Meeting Margaret. 1:11:58—Mortality rates. 1:16:21—Alice & Will. 1:16:55—Scientific men in humble life. 1:20:50—Job Legh. 1:22:43—Mary’s coldness. 1:26:12—Extinguishing the fire. 1:29:20—Closing.

Text: Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton. 1848. Oxford Univ. Press, 2006.

Interlude: Robert Schumann, Cello Concerto in A minor, opus 129 (1859), performed by the Bamberg Symphony, with Gaspar Cassado, conducted by Jonel Perlea, 1956 (Internet Archive).

Image: Portrait of Elizabeth Gaskell by George Richmond, 1851 (Wikipedia).

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EPISODE 52: Henry Murger, "The Water Drinkers" (1854)

Chapters 1-2: 0:00—Water drinking.  6:06—Murger’s success. 7:33—Francis’s success. 12:00—Man with a glove. 16:13—Berserkers. 19:56—Mid-century French art. 24:07—A blank canvas. 25:12—The painting of democrats. 28:23—Size matters. 31:23—Interlude.

Chapters 2-4: 31:57—A house call. 35:00—Behind the curtain. 40:10—Unsatisfyingly elliptical. 43:33—Muddied by pride. 45:49—An artistic freemasonry. 47:51—The doctor’s funeral. 51:04—Art & vanity. 52:23—Thirsting for greatness. 56:29—Francis browbeaten. 1:00:57—Browsing literature. 1:06:04—Interlude.

Chapters 5-6: 1:06:37—Family life. 1:08:30—Russians in Paris. 1:12:58—Initiation & integrity. 1:17:35—Bread & water drinkers. 1:18:32—Art movement. 1:20:03—Francis, Antonie & the Princess. 1:23:41—Fire & water drinkers.  1:25:05—Francis’s fate. 1:25:40—A glass one-third full. 1:27:25—Anything but amusing. 1:35:36—Closing.

Text: Henry Murger, The Water Drinkers and Other Sketches of Paris in the Romantic Era. Translated by Zack Rogow. Black Widow Press, 2025.

Interludes: Georges Bizet, Symphony in C Major (1855), performed by the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano della RAI, conducted by André Cluytens, Milan, February 3, 1961.

Image: Engraving of Henry Murger, 1854 (Wikimedia).

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EPISODE 51: Henry Murger, "The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter" (1851), Part Three

Chapter 19: 0:00—A state of widowhood. 4:33—The species grisette. 12:52—Grisettes, lorettes & courtesans 16:05—Luxury & liberty. 18:52—Musette & Marcel. 24:52—Interlude.

Chapters 20-23: 25:50—Rodolphe & Mimi & Murger & Lucile.  31:00—Women undressed. 40:28—Rodolphe verses Mimi. 49:57—Murger’s poverty. 52:38—The past arrives. 56:46—La Boheme vs. The Bohemians. 57:53—A handy man. 1:05:15—Puccini’s Mimi. 1:06:38—Number 8. 1:09:28—Romanticism vs. realism. 1:10:59—Losing Lucile. 1:16:43—Epilogue.

Text: Henry Murger, The Bohemains of the Latin Quarter. Translated by Maurice Samuels. 1901. Univ. of Pennsylvania Press, 2004.

Interlude: Giacomo Puccini, La Boheme, “Ohè là! Le Gardie,” NBC Radio Orchestra, conducted by Arturo Toscanini, 1946.

Additional music: Giacomo Puccini, La Boheme, "Che ha detto il medico?" sung by Jan Peerce, NBC Radio Orchestra, conducted by Arturo Toscannini, 1946.

Image: Henry Murger, caricature by Étienne Carjat in Diogène no.18, vol. 7, December  1856 (Wikipedia).

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EPISODE 50: Henry Murger, "The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter" (1851), Part Two

Chapters 11: 0:00-Bohemians behaving badly. 4:16—Murger’s purpura. 5:56—The real Bohemians. 8:54—Murger’s models. 15:22—Christmas at Café Momus. 16:54—Interlude.

Chapters 12-14: 17:48—Becoming bohemian. 21:51—Celebration at the Viscount Paul’s. 24:16—Rodolphe & Mimi unite. 27:19—Demolishing Nisard. 29:02—Perfect harmony. 29:54—Shattered harmony. 34:47—Mimi mutilates. 36:58—Routine, recrimination & reanimation. 38:32—Rodolphe & Mimi separate. 39:45—A wild ballet. 42:15—An instrument of pleasure. 44:00—Lucile! Lucile! 44:57—The chill of solitude. 46:33—Raging Rodolphe. 48:13—Rodolphe & Mimi reunite. 48:55—Murger & Lucile. 50:50—Interlude.

Chapters 15-17: 51:43—Breaking up. 53:46—Upper-class Musette. 55:30—A love ode. 56:08—The passage of the Red Sea. 59:03—Médecis the Jew. 1:00:59—The Damascus Affair. 1:03:07—Anti-Semitism. 1:04:05—Médecis’s inventory. 1:05:49—Hanging Marcel’s painting. 1:06:34—A hub of luxury. 1:07:53—Bodies in the Louvre.  1:09:20—A Britisher. 1:12:09—Coco the parrot. 1:13:40—Dolores the actress. 1:14:05—The June Days Uprising & the February Revolution. 1:17:19—The Parisian poor. 1:19:06—Dolores & the Englishman. 1:21:47—Coco’s cacophony. 1:23:41—Interlude.

Chapter 18: 1:24:33—A man named Jacques D. 1:27:42—What about Francine’s muff? 1:28:11: Jacques & Francine. 1:31:29—Digressions. 1:33:58—Francine’s condition. 1:36:22—Francine’s last word. 1:40:46—Kissing her on another’s lips. 1:43:04—No special grave. 1:44:26—Missing person. 1:51:27—Closing.

Text: Henry Murger, The Bohemains of the Latin Quarter. Translated by Maurice Samuels. 1901. Univ. of Pennsylvania Press, 2004.

Interludes: Giacomo Puccini, La Boheme, “Ohè là! Le Gardie,” NBC Radio Orchestra, conducted by Arturo Toscanini, 1946.

Image: Henry Murger, by Nadar, between 1854 -1860 (Musee d'Orsay).

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EPISODE 49: Henry Murger, "The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter" (1851), Part One

Chapter 1: 0:00-Bohemain rhapsodies. 5:27—Bohemian brothers. 6:26—The musician Schaunard.  8:28—Lovers’ locks. 11:51—Duo lepus. 15:04—The bibliophile Colline. 18:15—The writer Rodolphe. 19:57—The brotherhood. 21:59—The word “Bohemian.” 23:52—The Bourgeoisie.  28:06—Bohemianism. 29:28—Interlude.

Chapters 2-5: 29:49—Sugar coating. 35:00—Straight romance. 36:21—Loving and losing Louise. 43:53—Conducted to the “jug?” 46:20—Manual labor. 48:57—Turkish delights. 51:47—Talking heads. 53:53—Talk of the Quarter. 58:13—Interlude.

Chapters 6-10: 58:33—Meeting Musette. 1:02:13—La grisette. 1:04:26—Grisette Musette. 1:06:19—Musette & Marcel. 1:07:41—Unfashionable Bohemians. 1:10:32—Boho chic. 1:13:16—Home economics. 1:14:28—Grammar school. 1:18:42—Money, love, and editing. 1:21:54—Dreams of abundance. 1:23:57—Meeting Mimi. 1:24:51—Closing.

Text: Henry Murger, The Bohemains of the Latin Quarter. Translated by Maurice Samuels. 1901. Univ. of Pennsylvania Press, 2004.

Interludes: Giacomo Puccini, La Boheme, “Aranci, ninnoli,” NBC Radio Orchestra, conducted by Arturo Toscanini, 1946.

Additional music: Giacomo Puccini, “Che gelida manina,” sung by Jan Peerce, La Boheme, NBC Radio Orchestra, conducted by Arturo Toscannini, 1946.

Additional music: Jonathan Lawson, “La Vie Boheme,” Rent, New York Theatre Workshop Recording, 1994 (Internet Archive).

Illustration: Henry Murger, 1857 (Wikisource).

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EPISODE 48: Edward Bulwer Lytton, "Pelham" (1828), Part Three

Vol. 3, Chapters 1-8: 0:00-Recap. 1:52—A dead man. 4:43—The crime scene. 5:56—Lytton & Poe.   7:20—The initial investigation. .9:35—Pale Pelham. 11:50—Fireworks. 15:16—Lytton makes the rounds. 18:37—The Homes of England. 22:44—Melancholy mania. 24:46—A new wrinkle. 26:42—Job Jonson. 30:05—Pelham’s mother. 32:43—Lytton’s mother. 33:16—Literary Lytton. 34:25—Pelham & Roseville. 36:24—Pelham’s politics. 37:25—Interlude.

Vol. 3, Chapters 9-14: 38:07—Glanville explains all. 40:05—Glanville & Gertrude. 43:34—Gertrude’s gone. 45:00—To the madhouse. 50:04—Gertrude’s condition.  55:35—RIP G.D. 56:04—Mystery revealed. 59:44—Glanville & Thornton. 1:01:19—A terrible & tumultuous action. 1:06:12—Pelham & Ellen. 1:07:13—Pelham rehabilitated. 1:08:13—Thornton’s demands. 1:10:39—Trying times. 1:15:44—Interlude.

Vol. 3, Chapters 15-22: 1:16:25—Dawson’s remorse. 1:18:46—Parson Pelham. 1:20:06—St. Giles Greek. 1:21:34—Bloomsbury elegance. 1:25:31—Chilling apprehensions. 1:28:09—Brimstone Bess & gang. 1:30:12—The murder recounted. 1:34:40—True crime. 1:38:25—Murder ballad. 1:40:18—Names. 1:41:27—Bloody water. 1:44:19—Simple-minded moralizing. 1:46:17—Run for your lives! 1:48:28—The day after. 1:49:41—Thornton arraigned, Glanville released. 1:50:54—Lady Roseville’s behavior. 1:53:44—Mother writes. 1:54:29—No reception.  1:55:34—Several months later. 1:57:59—Reception. 2:00:11—Lytton/Pelham conflation.  2:05:28—Lytton’s character.  2:06:02—Class conflict. 2:09:11—Defending Pelham, attacking Byron.

Text: Edward Bulwer Lytton, Pelham, or the Adventures of a Gentleman. 1828. Univ. of Nebraska Press, 1972.

Interludes: Hector Berlioz, “The Corsair Overture” (1844), performed by Orchestre De L’Association Des Concerts Lamoureux, conducted by Jean Martinon, 1952.

Additional music: Noel Coward, “The Stately Homes of England” (1938), performed by Roderick Cook and Jamie Ross, Oh Coward! original cast recording, Bell Records, 1972 (Internet Archive).

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EPISODE 47: Edward Bulwer Lytton, "Pelham" (1828), Part Two

Vol. 2, Chapters 1-10: 0:00-In Cheltenham. 3:29—“Cherry Ripe.” 4:40—Lady Babbleton & Sir John Tyrell. 9:01—Oh, you satirist! 11:51—A sunbeam caught. 14:09—A bold, bad man. 18:28—In London. 20:40—Wildean maxims. 22:50—Pelham’s ego. 22:43—Visiting Glanville, seeing Thornton. 26:38—Motherly advice. 28:01—At Lady Roseville’s. 29:38—Pelham’s seat. 31:02—Interlude.

Vol. 2, Chapter 11: 32:07—Single-sticking. 38:07—A night on the town. 43:28—Harriss’s List of Covent Garden Ladies. 52:52—Birch discipline. 57:37—Ornaments to the female world. 1:00:01—Covent Garden women. 1:08:33—Reading the List. 1:11:32—Interlude.

Vol. 2, Chapters 12-14: 1:12:40—Mock-epic. 1:15:22—Dipping into St. Giles. 1:20:05—Blue ruin. 1:24:12—The Irish Rookery. 1:25:58—Economic distress. 1:27:31—Introducing Job Jonson. 1:29:30—Remembering Jemmy Gordon. 1:31:37—Urban leisure activities. 1:32:52—Deceased duchess. 1:24:28—Interlude.  

Vol. 2 Chapters 15-28: 1:35:36—Moral literature. 1:41:33—Tories & Whigs. 1:42:24—Glanville/Byron. 1:47:30—Frame story. 1:54:34—In walks Thornton. 1:58:18—Cultural collision 2:00:50—Boatswain’s mate. 2:09:19—Clarke’s doggerel. 2:11:41—Bad Byron. 2:13:14—Cherry buried. 2:14:57—Animal spirits. 2:22:05—Farce to foreboding. 2:26:54—One long school day. 2:29:29—Oh, the humanities! 2:32: 37—A dark pursuer. 2:38:01—Closing.

Text: Edward Bulwer Lytton, “Pelham, or the Adventures of a Gentleman.” 1828. Univ. of Nebraska Press, 1972.

Interludes: Charles Horn, “Cherry Ripe” (c. 1826), arranged and performed by Jim Paterson (https://www.mfiles.co.uk/scores/cherry-ripe-piano-solo.htm).

Additional music: “Cherry Ripe,” Robert Herrick (lyrics) and Charles Horn (music), performed by Village Voices, Buckinghamshire, UK (http://www.villagevoiceschoir.net).

Sound effects: Pixabay.

“USA”: myinstants.com.

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EPISODE 46: Edward Bulwer Lytton, "Pelham" (1828), Part One

Vol. 1, Chapters 1-9: 0:00-The madness of King George. 3:26—The Regency. 5:48—Pelham’s parents. 10:49—Lytton’s satire. 12:28—School days. 14:00—Sir names. 14:50—Lytton the student. 19:38—A man of ton. 22:05—What’s for dinner. 27:45—Lady Roseville. 29:07—Following mother’s advice. 31:15—A grave encounter. 34:26—Gallomania. 35:58—Interlude.

Vol. 1, Chapters 10-23: 36:46—An egregious coxcomb. 39:10—Consider the dandy. 41:18—Watching Pelham. 47:21—The streets of Paris. 49:47—Unabashed effrontery. 52:07—Advice from Mom. 54:42—The Palais Royal. 57:39—Parisian restaurants. 59:17—Les Anglais à Paris. 1:01:38—Dueling Pelham. 1:02:38—The Bois de Boulogne. 1:06 :22—Au revoir, Madame D’Anville; bonjour, Duchess. 1:09:16—The demonical observer. 1:13:24—The unhappy monkey. 1:15:39—A consummate puppy. 1:18:02—Gambling. 1:20:33—Secrets of the boudoir. 1:22:09—A most unmitigated rascal. 1:26:10—Interlude.

Vol. 1, Chapters 24-37: 1:26:59—Lord Byron. 1:34:03—Tyrell & Thornton & Warburton. 1:36:57—Rounds of reciprocal regrets. 1:41:01—Warburton revealed. 1:44:33—Last evening in Paris. 1:47:03—Beau Brummel. 1:57:03—The silver fork novel. 2:01:54—Election fraud. 2:03:07—Middle-class life. 2:12:03—Closing.

Text: Edward Bulwer Lytton, Pelham, or the Adventures of a Gentleman. 1828. Univ. of Nebraska Press, 1972.

Image: Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer Lytton, 1^st Baron Lytton (detail), painting by Henry William Pickersgill, 1831 (Wikipedia).

Interludes: Franz Schubert, Symphony No. 9 (1825), performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, 1957.

Sound effects: Pixabay.

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EPISODE 45: Higuchi Ichiyō, "Child's Play" (1895), Part Two

Pages 269-82: 0:00—Midori & Nobu. 5:02—Love’s fools. 8:03—What eels Nobu. 10:45—Ichiyo’s realism. 13:38—Language of the implied.  15:01—Ihara Saikaku & other influences. 17:53—Nobu’s perspective. 20:06—Young Murasaki. 22:41—Clogged emotions. 28:20—Maple & mud. 30:24—Interlude.

Pages 282-87: 31:11—Pretty things. 34:04—A lyrical passage. 35:47—A Kyoto doll. 38:44—Vague things. 40:10—A period of debate. 43:02—Stepping into the debate. 49:18—The paper narcissus.  50:20—Midori & Nobu. 51:31—Paper narcissus & dark robe. 52:23—Acclaim & ambush. 58:01—Closing.

Text: Higuchi Ichiyō. "Child's Play." Translated by Robert Danly. In the Shade of Spring Leaves: The Life and Writings of Higuchi Ichiyo. A Woman of Letters in Meiji Japan, Yale Univ. Press, 1981.

Interlude: Kimio Eto, "Yorokobi," The Japanese Koto Music of Kimio Eto, World Pacific Records (1424 / ST-1424), 1960 (Internet Archive).

Image: Higuchi Ichiyō, 1896, National Diet Library.

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EPISODE 44: Higuchi Ichiyō, "Child's Play" (1895), Part One

Pages 254-63: 0:00—The Yoshiwara. 7:12—The Daionjimae. 10:14—Raking in prosperity. 11:59—Back street boys. 15:34—Meeting Midori. 19:04—Senzoku Shrine Festival. 25:23—Affable Sangoro. 30:03—Class consciousness. 31:21—Inspecting her daughter. 32:37—Nothing but a whore. 35:36—Class struggle.  37:25—Interlude.

Pages 263-67: 38:09—About Ichiyo. 46:28—Shota & Midori. 53:15—A suspect endeavor. 57:36—Closing.

Text: Higuchi Ichiyō. "Child's Play." Translated by Robert Danly. In the Shade of Spring Leaves: The Life and Writings of Higuchi Ichiyo. A Woman of Letters in Meiji Japan, Yale Univ. Press, 1981.

Interlude: Kimio Eto, "Yorokobi," The Japanese Koto Music of Kimio Eto, World Pacific Records (1424 / ST-1424), 1960 (Internet Archive).

Image: Higuchi Ichiyō, 1896, National Diet Library.

Click here for transcript Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

EPISODE 43: Futabatei Shimei, "Ukigumo" ["Drifting Clouds"] (1889), Part Three

Chapters 7-8: 0:00—Sunday, November 2, 1884. 5:10—Artificial & distorted forms. 7:25—Japanese dressing. 11:50—Scraping & bowing & spewing. 15:18—Only one idol. 17:39—Baffled Bunzō 24:04—“He’s terribly bold.” 27:51—Interlude.  

Chapters 9-12: 28:32— Bunzō’s worst fears. 32:07—Free indirect discourse. 40:14— Bunzō meets Yamaguchi. 42:28—Bozo Bunzō. 47:12—An abyss of pain. 51:19—Interlude.  

Chapters 13-19: 52:10—What’s wrong with Bunzō? 1:00:15—Borderline Bunzō. 1:02:30—Bunzō & Futabatei. 1:04:01—Russian literature & politics. 1:06:35—Oblomov & Underground Man. 1:08:36—Neurosis & psychosis. 1:10:11—Not a nice girl. 1:11:31—A new perspective. 1:18:38—Bunzō observes. 1:23:37—The ending. 1:32:07—The end. 1:33:38—Closing.

Text: Futabatei Shimei. Ukigumo. Translated by Marleigh Grayer Ryan. Japan’s First Modern Novel, “Ukigumo” of Futabatei Shimei. 1965. Center for Japanese Studies, Univ. of Michigan, 1990.

Interlude: Yūgure,” performed by Ensemble Hijiri-Kaï , Urban Music of the Edo Period , 2005, Ocora Records, Paris, Internet Archive.

Illustration: Society of Friends of the Cernuschi Museum, Paris.

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EPISODE 42: Futabatei Shimei, "Ukigumo" ["Drifting Clouds"] (1889), Part Two

Chapters 2-3: 56:20— Bunzō’s background. 6:32—Office work. 8:22—Point of view. 9:40— Bunzō & Osei. 13:03—The question of point-of-view. 14:02—Breeding worms. 16:15—The moment of truth. 21:49—New romance. 25:30—A ticklish situation. 27:19—What’s going on. 29:24—Marriage plots. 31:13—A new development. 31:49—Interlude.

Chapters 4-6: 32:25—The elements of romance. 34:37—What a mess. 36:10—All mixed up. 39:07—Pure Osei. 42:01—Gaudy geisha. 46:29—Bunzō dreams. 50:55— Bunzō confesses, Omasa tortures. 56:07—Osei vs. Omasa. 58:22—Successful Noboru. 1:00:38—The bureaucracy. 1:05:34—Office literature. 1:07:41—Mom & mums. 1:10:30—Closing.

Text: Futabatei Shimei. Ukigumo. Translated by Marleigh Grayer Ryan. Japan’s First Modern Novel, “Ukigumo” of Futabatei Shimei. 1965. Center for Japanese Studies, Univ. of Michigan, 1990.

Interlude: Yūgure,” performed by Ensemble Hijiri-Kaï , Urban Music of the Edo Period , 2005, Ocora Records, Paris, Internet Archive.

Illustration: Society of Friends of the Cernuschi Museum, Paris.

Click here for transcript Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

EPISODE 41: Futabatei Shimei, "Ukigumo" ["Drifting Clouds"] (1889), Part One

0:00-Three openings. Chapter 1: 16:06—Fine gentlemen. 19:50—Men with beards. 26:24—Men in coats and kimonos. 30:30—Bunzō & Noboru. 32:40—The narrator. 33:37—Salary earners. 35:39—The third house from the corner. 35:52—Interlude.

Chapter 1 continued: 36:50—The Meiji Restoration. 38:01—Translated novels. 43:40—Tsubouchi Shōyō & Futabatei Shimei. 51:50—Crossing the threshold. 55:54—Closing.

Text: Futabatei Shimei. Ukigumo. Translated by Marleigh Grayer Ryan. Japan’s First Modern Novel, “Ukigumo” of Futabatei Shimei. 1965. Center for Japanese Studies, Univ. of Michigan, 1990.

Interlude: Yūgure,” performed by Ensemble Hijiri-Kaï , Urban Music of the Edo Period , 2005, Ocora Records, Paris, Internet Archive.

Illustration: Society of Friends of the Cernuschi Museum, Paris.

Click here for transcript Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

 

EPISODE 40: Natsume Sōseki, "The Heredity of Taste" (1906), Part Two

Two cont’d: 0:00—A grave meeting. 6:06—Under the gingko tree. 10:26—The knocking at the gate. 15:46—The woman escapes. 16:34—Interlude.

Three. 17:43— Researcher & rogue. 23:15— Kō-San’s diary. 26:56—Hereditary transmission. 33:37—Japanese relations. 35:2608—Conclusion. 38:13—Dickensian childhood. 40:10—Dysfunctional marriage. 42:25—Bad karma. 44:34—Sōseki on the Russo-Japanese War. 55:05—Tasteless criticism. 1:04:14—The Japanese Spirit. 1:09:39—Closing.

Text: Natsume Sōseki, The Heredity of Taste. Translated by Sammy I. Tsunematsu. Boston: Tuttle, 2004.

Interlude: “Tasogare” (“Twilight”), performed by Soy Nakamura, Japanese Music for Koto and Shakuhachi, Toshiba Records, Internet Archive.

Illustration: Natsume Sōseki (1910), Wikimedia.

Click here for transcript Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

EPISODE 39: Natsume Sōseki, "The Heredity of Taste" (1906), Part One

One. 0:00—Apology. 1:57— Sōseki’s reputation. 4:26—Writing The Heredity of Taste. 6:01—The dogs of war. 10:07: Banzai!  14:26—General Nogi. 17:17—The narrator. 18:40—Digressions. 22:27—Aaagh! 24:25—A true war story. 26:26—A question of tone. 30:00—Vitality & neurasthenia. 33:37—The best of Japan. 36:16—Interlude.

Two: 38:37—A lyrical passage. 41:09—Port Arthur. 43:01—Human bullets. 44:04—November 26, 1905. 47:15—A distant observer. 48:40—Dogs, ants, spiders, snakes, snails, & tadpoles. 50:13—Kō-San’s rise & fall.  52:23—The call of the war. 57:09—In the ditch. 1:02:37—The final tally. 1:04:06—Closing.

Text: Natsume Sōseki, The Heredity of Taste. Translated by Sammy I. Tsunematsu. Boston: Tuttle, 2004.

Interlude: “Battoutai,”Japanese Old Gunka (Military March) Collection, Internet Archive.

Illustration: Natsume Sōseki (1912), "Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures," National Diet Library, Japan.

Click here for transcript Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

EPISODE 38: Naoe Kinoshita, "Pillar of Fire" (1904), Part Three

Chapters 17-20: 0:00—Girls’ school. 6:37—Byron’s character. 9:57—Shinoda’s sermon. 12:17—Workers’ meeting. 19:26—Interlude.

Chapters 21-23: 20:21—Umeko eyes Matsushima. 28:00—General Aritomo Yamagata. 30:41—Shutting down Shinoda. 31:27—Why war? 37:10—Imperialism.  44:09—Interlude.

Chapters 24-30: 45:05—Shinoda in Chichibu. 52:18—Comrade Azuma. 55:15—Society strikes back. 1:03:18—Political posturing. 1:06:30—Closing.

Text: Kinoshita, Naoe. Pillar of Fire. Translated by Kenneth Strong. London: George Allen & Unwin. 1972.

Interlude: Ensemble Nipponia, "Edo No Uta", performed by Minoru Miki and Ayako Handa, Soloists of the Ensemble Nipponia (1976, Nonesuch Records, H-72072, Internet Archive).

Illustration: Naoe Kinoshita, 1937 (Wikipedia).

Click here for transcript Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

Thanks to Professor David Ambaras and the students of HIS 573: Japan's Empire in Asia, 1868-1945, NCSU, Fall 2024.

EPISODE 37: Naoe Kinoshita, "Pillar of Fire" (1904), Part Two

Chapters 8-10: 0:00—Ohora & Matsushima at the geisha house. 4:35—Kanekichi. 6:46—Girls & geishas. 12:37—Koyone & Kanekichi. 14:44—Hanakichi & O-Roku & the monster. 18:15—Interlude.

Chapters 11-16: 19:03—Licking boots. 20:40—Trampling on love. 22:03—Such slobbering. 23:08—Celebrating geishas. 25:20—Christmas at Shinoda’s. 27:05—Climbing aboard. 28:42—Prince Itō. 32:48—Itō & Yamaki & Matsushima. 38:50—Closing.

Text: Kinoshita, Naoe. Pillar of Fire. Translated by Kenneth Strong. London: George Allen & Unwin. 1972.

Interlude: Yatsuhashi Kengyo, "Midare," performed by Reiko Kimura, January 15, 1998, National Museum of Asian Art, Washington, D.C.

Illustration: Naoe Kinoshita, 1937 (Wikipedia).

Click here for transcript Contact: jimjneilson@gmail.com

Thanks to Professor David Ambaras and the students of HIS 573: Japan's Empire in Asia, 1868-1945, NCSU, Fall 2024.