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[羅生門](http://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000879/files/127_15260.html)

>
> 細い喉で、尖った喉仏（のどぼとけ）の動いているのが見える。その時、その喉から、鴉（からす）の啼くような声が、喘（あえ）ぎ喘ぎ、下人の耳へ伝わって来た。「この髪を抜いてな、この髪を抜いてな、鬘（かずら）にしようと思うたのじゃ。」
>
> 下人は、老婆の答が存外、平凡な **のに**
> 失望した。そうして失望すると同時に、また前の憎悪が、冷やかな侮蔑（ぶべつ）と一しょに、心の中へはいって来た。

My [default
interpretation](https://www.renshuu.org/index.php?page=grammar/individual&id=106)
here would be, since 平凡 here is a na-adjective, that it would mean "despite".
That is, the servant was disappointed despite the banality of her answer (that
went against his expectation). The [English translation](http://www.speaking-
japanese.com/breaking-index.html), however, goes:

> The servant was disappointed **by** the unexpected banality of the old woman
> answer.

That is, the counter-factuality of "despite" is missing. Only causation is
left. Is it due to the translator's freedom of interpretation or have I
misunderstood this grammar point?

How is のに used here?
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question
particles
What does のに mean here?
It is 「の + に」 in two words.

It is not the 「のに」= "despite" that you thought it was.

The 「の」 nominalizes the adjective 「[平凡]{へいぼん}な」. In meaning, 「平凡なの」＝「平凡なこと」.

「に」 is the correct particle to use in 「～～ **に** [失望]{しつぼう}する」= "to be
disappointed **with** "

The translator is correct. There is no "despite" in there to begin with.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-05T15:16:40.013
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2015-04-05T15:16:40.013
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answer