Beongcheon Yu (29 December 1925 – 23 November 2022) () was a Korean-born translator of

Natsume Sōseki , born , was a Japanese novelist. He is best known around the world for his novels ''Kokoro'', '' Botchan'', ''I Am a Cat'', '' Kusamakura'' and his unfinished work '' Light and Darkness''. He was also a scholar of British literature and writer ...

's novel ''

The Wayfarer ''The Wayfarer'' (or ''The Pedlar'') is an oil on panel painting by Hieronymus Bosch, created ''c.'' 1500. It is currently in Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam. This painting is round and in diameter. It is one of the fragments of a par ...

'' and author of a critical study on Natsume. Yu was born in

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

on 29 December 1925, a twenty-eighth generation descendent in the Yu Clan of Chungju. He was selected to attend the Dai-Ichi-Koto Chugakko (The First Higher School of Japan), now known as the

University of Tokyo , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...

. He graduated with his BA in French literature from

Seoul National University Seoul National University (SNU; ) is a national public research university located in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1946, Seoul National University is largely considered the most prestigious university in South Korea; it is one of the three "S ...

in 1948. He received his MA from the

University of Missouri-Kansas City A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

in 1954 and his PhD in English from

Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...

in 1958. Known for his critical analyses of Hemingway, Melville,

Akutagawa Ryunosuke Akutagawa (written: 芥川) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892–1927), Japanese poet and writer * Yasushi Akutagawa (1925–1989), Japanese composer and conductor, son of Akutagawa Ryunosuk ...

, the Korean authors

Han Yong-Un Han Yong-un ( ko, 한용운; August 29, 1879 – June 29, 1944) was a twentieth century Korean Buddhist reformer and poet. This name was his religious name, given by his meditation instructor in 1905, and Manhae (만해) was his pen name; his ...

and

Yi Gwangsu Yi Gwangsu (; 1892–1950) was a Korean writer and poet, and a notable Korean independence and nationalist activist until his later turn towards collaboration with the Japanese. His pen names were Chunwon and Goju. Yi is best known for his nove ...

, and the life and writings of

Lafcadio Hearn , born Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (; el, Πατρίκιος Λευκάδιος Χέρν, Patríkios Lefkádios Chérn, Irish language, Irish: Pádraig Lafcadio O'hEarain), was an Irish people, Irish-Greeks, Greek-Japanese people, Japanese writer, t ...

, he also wrote about the impact of orientalism on western literature. He wrote a review of

Herman Melville Herman Melville (Name change, born Melvill; August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American people, American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance (literature), American Renaissance period. Among his bes ...

's ''

Moby Dick ''Moby-Dick; or, The Whale'' is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is the sailor Ishmael's narrative of the obsessive quest of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship ''Pequod'', for revenge against Moby Dick, the giant whit ...

'', "Ishmael's Equal Eye: The Source of Balance in ''

''." Yu was professor emeritus in English at

Wayne State University Wayne State University (WSU) is a public research university in Detroit, Michigan. It is Michigan's third-largest university. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 350 programs to nearly 25,000 ...

. Yu died in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

on 23 November 2022, at the age of 96.

Works

Original works

English-language

=Books

= * :: * * * * * * *

=Papers

= * * * *

Korean-language

* * *

Translations

* :: Reprinted 1969 by C. E. Tuttle (Tokyo). . LCC
76446909
. :: Reprinted 1982 by Putnam (New York). . LCC
81015429
.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yu, Beongcheon 1925 births 2022 deaths Japanese–English translators Brown University alumni Wayne State University faculty South Korean emigrants to the United States University of Missouri–Kansas City alumni