「양씨전」의 인물 형상과 그 의미

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the aspects and meaning of Mrs. Yang’s belonging to her husband’s family in a novel “Yangssi- Jeon.” Mrs. Yang is the heroine of the novel who makes a great contribution to the prosperity of the Nams into which she marries. As for the aspects of Mrs. Yang’s belonging to her family-in-law, she is active in being assimilated into the new family through marriage. She tries to become a member of the family by doing everything she can do for her husband and by tending her mother-in-law with filial piety. Yang Cheo-sa and the dragon king of the western sea who are the characters of the novel help her to become a genuine member of the family. They are not mere helper but play decisive roles in helping her lead a good life as a daughter-in-law. Based on the aspects of Mrs. Yang’s belonging to her husband’s family, the meaning of it could be described as follows: First, the woman herself seeks after more solidarity with her family-in-law. The novel shows that the daughter-in-law faces up to her reality and that she makes an effort to become a real family member. Next, the novel also shows the conservative view of contemporary androcentric society. Namely, the helpers assist the heroine, but as a matter of fact, their assistance is just for the sake of the Nams, not for the heroine herself. Given the behaviors of Mrs. Yang and her helpers in the novel, the process that Mrs. Yang is assimilated into her in-laws reflects the contemporary conservative perspective that daughter-in-laws should unilaterally dedicate themselves to families-in-law, and that they should contribute to the prosperity of the families.