映画「ハムネット』 ”Hamnet”

映画「ハムネット』　

I saw “Hamnet.” Hamnet is Shakespeare’s son, who died at the age of ten.

The film is 99 percent fictional, but I did not mind. It is well developed with a moving ending.

Agnes Hathaway grieves over the death of her son Hamnet so much that she almost goes crazy. She becomes angry with her husband, complaining, “You were not here when he died.”

The last scene is moving. She goes to Shakespeare’s theater to see “Hamlet.” The instant she sees Hamlet on the stage, she sees her deceased Hamnet—somehow a reincarnation of her son. She understands how her husband has grieved over his son’s death. She understands his grief was as much as hers. At the end of “Hamlet,” she reaches out to take Hamlet’s hand to console him. He is poisoned and is going to die soon. She looks around and sees everyone sobbing. She realizes that she is not the only sad person. Everyone has experienced the same grief over their family member’s death. Then she smiles, and at that moment, she is relieved of her sadness. She overcomes grief and understands her husband.

ニュースは毒だ。News Is Poisonous

ニュースは毒だ

最近のニュースは不愉快で、気が滅入り、気分が悪くなる。トランプ大統領の取引（deal）政策は、大統領としての自覚がない。自分さえよければ、自国さえよければ、という考えは、間違っている。イランを一方的に攻撃し、ヴェネズエラの大統領を国外に連れ出す。地球温暖化に無関心、グリーンランドをアメリカの領土にしようとし、カナダをアメリカの一部にするという。ガザをアメリカが支配し、リゾートエリアにしようとする。無茶苦茶の政策である。自分をキリストに見立てた画像をばらまき、ノーベル平和賞を渇望している。

次に京都の行方不明になっていた小学生は、義理の父親が殺したと報道された。何という悍ましい事件だ。気分が悪くなる。

高市首相は憲法改正を狙い、「強い日本」を作ろうとしている。防衛の範囲を超えて、攻撃を容認しようとしている。平和国家が泣く。

物価はどんどん値上がりしている。

ニュースを見るたびに嫌な思いをする。最近のニュースは精神的に良くない。血の巡り悪くなる。体に悪い。ニュースを見ない方が体にいい。日本中がニュースの被害に遭っている。困ったものだ。

News Is Poisonous

Recent news has been unpleasant; it depresses me and makes me feel sick. President Trump’s “deal” policies show no sense of responsibility as a head of state. The idea that it’s fine as long as he himself is fine, or as long as his own country is fine, is misguided. He attacked Iran unilaterally and removed the president of Venezuela from the country. He shows no interest in global warming, tries to make Greenland part of the United States, and even talks about making Canada part of the United States. He wants the U.S. to control Gaza and turn it into a resort area. These are reckless policies. He spread images comparing himself to Christ and longs for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Next, the missing elementary school student in Kyoto was reported to have been killed by her stepfather. What a horrifying case. It makes me feel sick.

Prime Minister Takaichi aims to revise the Constitution and create a “strong Japan.” She is trying to extend offensive capabilities beyond self-defense. Japan has been a peaceful nation. Alas. No more.

Prices keep rising.

Every time I watch the news on TV, I feel awful. Recent news is mentally unhealthy. It makes my blood feel sluggish. It’s bad for the body. It’s healthier not to watch the news. The whole country is suffering from the news. What a miserable situation.

 

英語の格言 Engiish Sayings

 日本人の着ているセーター、Tシャツ、スポーツウエアなどに英語が書いてある。英語教師であったので、どうしても英語に目が行く。ところが、英語の文は一部しか見えない。鞄を掛けていたり、手に荷物を持っていたり、皺が寄っていたりするからだ。そんな時は、頭を使う。

このところ、三回ぐらい英語に遭遇した。

1．　There is alw＊＊＊＊ehind the cloud.

  これは有名であるから、すぐに分かった。

　There is always light behind the cloud.

２．＊＊＊＊　precedes success.

     分からないので、ChatGDPに訊いた。答えは

　　　Hard work precedes success.

　　　Failure often precedes success.

３． Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

    これは店頭に積まれていたTシャツの胸に書いてあった。いい台詞だ。

English Sayings

English Sayings

I often notice English words printed on sweaters, T‑shirts, and sportswear that Japanese people wear. Since I used to be an English teacher, my eyes are naturally drawn to them. The problem is that I can usually see only part of the set phrase—because a bag is hanging over it, they’re holding something in their hands, or the fabric is wrinkled. At times like that, I have to use my brain.

Recently, I’ve come across English three times.

1. There is alw＊＊＊＊ehind the cloud.
   This one was famous, so I figured it out right away:
   There is always light behind the cloud.
2. ＊＊＊＊ precedes success.
   I couldn’t tell, so I asked ChatGPT. The answers were:
   Hard work precedes success.
   Failure often precedes success.
3. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
   This was printed on the chest of a T‑shirt stacked at a store. A good line, I thought.

Chat GPTに頼るべからず Never Rely on ChatGPT.

 Chat GPTに頼るべからず

確定申告書を作成して、印刷したら両面印刷になっていた。印刷設定を変えていないのに。「おかしい。今年から紙の節約で国税庁は両面刷りに変えたのか」と思い、Chat GPTに尋ねたら、なんと「最近は確定申告書は両面刷りです。第一票と第二票が揃っておれば問題ないです」と応えた。「じゃあ」と安心して、両面刷りの確定申告書を税務署に提出した。

翌日、別の文書を印刷したら両面刷りであった。「これはおかしい」と、税務署に電話したら「片面印刷で出して欲しい。……もう提出したのですか？　なら、それでいいです」と言われた。

これが確定申告で良かった。もっと重大なことなら大惨事だ。

Never rely on ChatGPT.

I prepared my tax return and printed it out, only to find it had come out double‑sided. I hadn’t changed any print settings.
“That’s strange. Maybe the National Tax Agency switched to double‑sided printing this year to save paper,” I thought. So I asked ChatGPT, and it confidently replied, “Yes, tax returns are printed double‑sided nowadays. As long as Form 1 and Form 2 are both included, there’s no problem.”

Reassured, I submitted my double‑sided tax return to the tax office.

The next day, I printed a completely different document—and it also came out double‑sided.
“Now this is odd,” I thought, and called the tax office. They told me, “Please submit it single‑sided. …You already turned it in? Well, then it’s fine as is.”

Thank goodness this was only a tax return. If it had been something more serious, it could’ve been a disaster.

「 運搬屋は安ガソリンで走る」 “Autogas Ferryman”

「 運搬屋は安ガソリンで走る」

　Champ Wongsatayanont (タイ人の作家)から学んだこと

１．短編の始まりは些細な出来事が起こるが、この出来事がラストで重要な解決の糸口となる。

２．導入

日常生活のありきたりの光景だが、幽霊を運ぶという特殊装置が施してあり、読者を巻き込む

展開

大混乱、複雑怪奇、大災害、解決の糸口がない。収拾がつかない

    結末

　　ラストシーンですべてうまく片付き、最後は穏やかなムードで終わる

３．最後の一文が効いている「で、母親が消え去る」

４．最後の一文の前の段落が微笑ましくほっとさせる。

「母の幽霊がにっこり笑う。あたかも算数のテストで好い点数を取った時に見たスマイルだ。あの日、母は僕のことを誇りに思ってくれた。

“Autogas Ferryman” 

What I have learned from reading “Autogas Ferryman,” written by Champ Wongsatayanont, a Thai, published in 2025

1.     Not so important an incident that happens at the beginning part turns out to be a very important matter that solves all the confusion, a clue to the labyrinth.

2.     Introduction is a daily routine that somehow catches the readers’ attention

The middle part consists of chaos, confusion, and catastrophic disaster; no solution is possible

     The ending dissolves all the intricated knots and leaves a peaceful atmosphere.

4.     The final one sentence is brief: And she fades away.

5.     One paragraph before the last sentence makes the readers smile and relieve the tension: The ghost of his mum smiles gently. It’s like that one time he finally got good grades for maths. She was so proud of him that day.

マーク・トゥエインと山田洋次 Mark Twain and Yoji Yamada

 山田洋次とマーク・トゥエイン

その日、マーク・トウェインはある町で講演を頼まれた。彼は町に着くと、講演時間まで、時間があったので、床屋に入った。

床屋で散髪してもらっているときに床屋が言った。

「お客さん、知ってますか。今日、町にマーク・トウェインが来て講演するんですよ」

「ええ、知ってますよ」

「そんなら、早目に行かないと、席に座れなくて、立ってなきゃならんですよ」

「どうせ、私は講演中は立っていなきゃならないんです」

 

似た話がある。以下は「男はつらいよ」の監督・山田洋次とタクシーの運転手の話。

 

運「近ごろは、おもしろいこと、なんにもないね」

山「本当だね」

運「映画見てもつまんないし」

山「映画って、そんなにつまんないかい」

運「まあ、おもしろいのは寅さんぐらいかな」

山「あの映画は、どんなふうにおもしろいんだい」

運「なんて言うかなぁ。色気があるんだ」

山「あの映画は、たしか、女の裸なんか出てこないだろ？」

運「そういうことを言ってるんじゃないんだ。つまりなんて言うか、人間の色気ってことを言ってるんだよ。バカ！」

 

Mark Twain and Yoji Yamada

One day, Mark Twain was invited to give a lecture in a certain town. When he arrived, he still had some time before the event, so he went into a barbershop.

While the barber was cutting his hair, he said:

“Say, did you know? Mark Twain is coming to town today to give a lecture.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Well then, you’d better get there early, or you won’t get a seat, and you’ll have to stand the whole time.”

“That’s all right. I have to stand during the lecture anyway.”

 

There is a similar story. The following is an exchange between Yōji Yamada, the director of Tora-san, and a taxi driver.

 

Driver: “Nothing’s interesting these days.”

Yamada: “You’re right.”

Driver: “Even movies aren’t any good anymore.”

Yamada: “Are movies really that boring?”

Driver: “Well… the only good ones are the Tora-san films, I guess.”

Yamada: “What do you find interesting about those movies?”

Driver: “How should I put it… they’ve got iroke.”

Yamada: “But those movies don’t have any nudity, do they?”

Driver: “That’s not what I mean! I’m talking about human charm—human warmth, you know. Idiot!”

親友逝去 My Close Friend Passed Away

 親友逝去

 　親友のN君が1月２２日に亡くなった。N君の奥様からメッセージが来ていたのに見ていなかった。見たのは２４日の二時頃であった。既に通夜も葬儀も終わっていることに愕然とし、とにかく葬儀場に駆けつけようと思った。喪服を着て、香典を用意するときに、気が動転して、香典の袋を用意する手が震え、自分が自分でないようであった。

葬儀場は地下鉄桜通線の太閤通駅のそばにある愛昇殿であった。奥様にメッセージを送ると「今、火葬場にいる。三時半頃、初七日のお経がある」との返信。

　初七日ではN君の笑顔の遺影が据えられ、読経が始まった。ご焼香が始まり、私は親族ではないが、最後にご焼香することができた。焼香するため祭壇の前に立つと、どうしようもなく涙が込み溢れて来て、身体が震え、まともに焼香できなかった。

　あれから一週間たった。毎日N君のことを思い出している。

もう永遠に会えないのか。

 

My Close Friend Passed Away

My close friend N passed away on January 22. A message from his wife had come to me, but I hadn’t seen it. I noticed it around two o’clock on the 24th. I was stunned to learn that both the wake and the funeral had already ended. All I could think was that I had to get to the funeral hall somehow. As I put on my mourning clothes and prepared the condolence money envelope, I was so shocked that my hands trembled while preparing the envelope. I felt as if I were no longer myself.

The funeral hall was Aishōden, near Taikō-dōri Station on the Sakura-dōri subway line. When I sent a message to his wife, she replied, “We’re at the crematorium now. Around three-thirty, there will be the service for the shonanoka or the seventh day.”

At the shonanoka service, N’s smiling portrait was placed at the front, and the sutra chanting began. When the incense offering started, I was allowed to offer incense at the very end, even though I was not a family member. Standing before the altar to offer incense, I was suddenly overwhelmed by tears. My body shook, and I couldn’t perform the incense offering properly.

Not a single day has passed without thinking of N. How sad it is that I will never see him again.