Madame Chrysanthème (novel)
1887 novel by Pierre Loti
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Madame Chrysanthème is an 1887 novel by Pierre Loti, presented as the autobiographical journal of a naval officer who was temporarily married to a Japanese woman while he was stationed in Nagasaki, Japan.[1] It closely follows the journal he kept of one-month paid relationship with Kiku (Chrysanthemum) in the Jūzenji (十善寺) neighbourhood (modern day Jūninmachi (十人町)) in 1885.[2] Originally written in French, Madame Chrysanthème was very successful, running to 25 editions in the first five years of its publication with translations into several languages including English.[3] It has been considered a key text in shaping western attitudes toward Japan at the turn of the 20th century.[4] It is known in Japan under the title of お菊さん (O Kiku-san), a direct translation of the French name.
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Title page for Madame Chrysanthème (1888 edition) | |
| Author | Pierre Loti |
|---|---|
| Language | French |
| Set in | Meiji Japan |
| Publication date | 1887 |
André Messager's 1893 opera Madame Chrysanthème is based on the novel, as are some aspects of Puccini's 1904 opera Madama Butterfly.[5]
