<방한림전>에 나타난 동성결혼과 지기(知己) 그리고 입양에 담긴 의미와 그 위험성

Abstract

Banghanlimjeon is a heroine story, a narrative of female success. It is a story about two women: Bang Gwanju, who disguises herself as a man to bring honor to her parents, and Yeong Hyebing, who refuses to live a life subject to men. They marry each other and achieve all the things they aspire to. From the narrative, one can see that Banghanlimjeon is not much different from other heroin novels in terms of the content. It is, in fact, difficult to find outstanding events or content, as war scenes are short and the conflicts among the characters are weak. This leads to a weakening in interest, making some of the features that are distinctive to heroine novels not very effective. Nevertheless, many researchers have paid attention to the story, since the subject matter, same-sex marriage between the two female main characters, is unconventional. However, it should be noted that the marriage of Bang Gwanju and Yeong Hyebing was not based on homosexuality. The marriage was a voluntary decision of both Bang (who wants to succeed and maintain her family and parents’ honor) and Yeong (who aspires to a marriage in which both the husband and wife have an equal relationship); a tendency toward homosexuality is not revealed. Further, after marriage, they become the only ones with whom they share their secrets, and reinvent their relationship as a special friendship. They complement each other and play a substantial role in making their wishes come true. Banghanlimjeon describes the two women’s desires, and the process of carrying out their wishes in a composed manner; however, it also conveys their strong desire and will to break taboo, take a risk, and face a tough challenge, as well as the solidarity of women and the infinite possibility of its strength. This is why Banghanlimjeon, which challenges the male-centered Joseon society, was risky.