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Festus Claudius "Claude" McKay (September 15, 1889〔See James, Winston (2003), "Becoming the People's Poet: Claude McKay's Jamaican Years, 1889-1912," in ''Small Axe: A Caribbean Journal of Criticism'', March 2003, No. 13, pp. 17-45; note 8. There has been much confusion over whether McKay was born in 1889 or 1890, but his birth certificate has been discovered showing that he was, in fact, born in 1889.〕 – May 22, 1948) was a Jamaican-American writer and poet, who was a seminal figure in the Harlem Renaissance. He wrote four novels: ''Home to Harlem'' (1928), a best-seller that won the Harmon Gold Award for Literature, ''Banjo'' (1929), ''Banana Bottom'' (1933), and in 1941 a manuscript called ''Amiable With Big Teeth: A Novel of the Love Affair Between the Communists and the Poor Black Sheep of Harlem'' that has not yet been published.〔(Felicia R. Lee, "New Novel of Harlem Renaissance Is Found," ) ''The New York Times'', September 14, 2012.〕 McKay also authored collections of poetry, a collection of short stories, ''Gingertown'' (1932), two autobiographical books, ''A Long Way from Home'' (1937) and ''My Green Hills of Jamaica'' (published posthumously), and a non-fiction, socio-historical treatise entitled ''Harlem: Negro Metropolis'' (1940). His 1922 poetry collection, ''Harlem Shadows'', was among the first books published during the Harlem Renaissance. His ''Selected Poems'' was published posthumously, in 1953. McKay was attracted to communism in his early life, but he always asserted that he never became an official member of the Communist Party USA. However, some scholars dispute the claim that he was not a communist at that time, noting his close ties to active members, his attendance at communist-led events, and his months-long stay in the Soviet Union in 1922–23, which he wrote about very favorably.〔Tyrone Tillery, Claude McKay: A Black Poet's Struggle for Identity. University of Massachusetts Press, 1992, pp. 64-65, 68-70.〕 He gradually became disillusioned with communism, however, and by the mid-1930s, he had begun to write negatively about it.〔Wayne F. Cooper, Claude McKay: Rebel Sojourner in the Harlem Renaissance, Louisiana State University Press, 1987, pp. 294-295.〕 ==Early life== Claude McKay was born in Nairne Castle near James Hill,〔Many sources claim this birthplace; however, Winston James (2003) says McKay was born in the village of Nairne Castle.〕 Clarendon, Jamaica. He was the youngest child of Thomas Francis McKay and Hannah Ann Elizabeth Edwards, well-to-do farmers who had enough property to qualify to vote. Thomas McKay's parents were of Ashanti descent, like many other black Jamaicans. Claude recounted that his parents would share stories of Ashanti customs with him.〔Long (1985), p. 353.〕 At four years old, McKay started basic school at the church that he attended. At the age of seven, he was sent to live with his oldest brother, Uriah Theodore, a teacher, to be given the best education available. While living with this brother, McKay became an avid reader of classical and British literature, as well as philosophy, science and theology. He started writing poetry at the age of 10. In 1906, McKay became apprenticed to a carriage and cabinet maker known as Old Brenga, staying in his apprenticeship for about two years. During that time, in 1907, McKay met a man named Walter Jekyll, who became a mentor and an inspiration for him and encouraged him to concentrate on his writing. Jekyll convinced McKay to write in his native dialect and even later set some of McKay's verses to music. Jekyll helped McKay publish his first book of poems, ''Songs of Jamaica'', in 1912. These were the first poems published in Jamaican Patois (dialect of mainly English words and African structure). McKay's next volume, ''Constab Ballads'' (1912), was based on his experiences of joining the constabulary for a brief period in 1911.〔(Freda Scott Giles, "Claude McKay's Life" ), Modern American Poetry.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Claude McKay」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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