Butterflies by Lafcadio Hearn (1894)
The narrative revolves around a young woman who undergoes a transformation from innocence to experience through her encounters with various individuals and events. The story explores themes of love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships.
By Lafcadio Hearn · First published 1894 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Cultural Studies, Mythology · 4,753 words
First lines
I
Would that I could hope for the luck of that Chinese scholar known to Japanese literature as "Rōsan"! For he was beloved by two spirit-maidens, celestial sisters, who every ten days came to visit him and to tell him stories about butterflies. Now there are marvelous Chinese stories about butterflies-ghostly stories; and I want to know them. But never shall I be able to read Chinese, nor even Japanese; and the little Japanese poetry that I manage, with exceeding difficulty, to translate, contains so many allusions to Chinese stories of butterflies that I am tormented with the torment of Tantalus. And, of course, no spirit-maidens will even deign to visit so skeptical a person as myself.
What this Textopian page supports
Butterflies is listed on Textopian as a short story by Lafcadio Hearn, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Lafcadio Hearn
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Cultural Studies, Mythology, Poetry, Philosophical Fiction
- Length: 4,753 words
- Structure: 1 section, 79 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Butterflies by Lafcadio Hearn
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Butterflies?
- How does this short story by Lafcadio Hearn fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores deep themes of beauty, transience, and the connection between life and death through the metaphor of butterflies.
- Cultural Studies — It delves into Japanese and Chinese cultural beliefs and aesthetics surrounding butterflies, reflecting on their significance in literature and art.
- Mythology — The text references various myths and legends related to butterflies, particularly in the context of spirits and reincarnation.
- Poetry — The inclusion of Japanese poetry and haiku about butterflies highlights the aesthetic and emotional resonance of the subject.
Tags
Japanese folklore · Cultural anthropology · Mythology · Folk tales · Symbolism · Nature writing · Literary nonfiction · Travelogue · Ethnography · Cultural studies · Asian literature · Classics of world literature