신광현(申匡絢)의 「향인우도(鄕人遇盜)」에 관한 시론적(試論的) 고찰

Abstract

I considered 「Hyanginudo」 by Shin Gwnag-Hyeon on the basis of a crossroads motif, searched duty of chivalrous person which was reflected in traces of the past of a country person, and inferred that the descriptive consciousness of Shin Gwnag-Hyeon was introspective writing considered of consciousness of the middle class. In general if human being met a thief who threatened his/her property and life on condition that he/she was bereaved of his/her parent and then raised money to go through mourning, it was not easy that he/she fully understood a situation of the thief and acted according to moral conscience. By the way because the country person met the thieves on condition that he should go through mourning, he was probably in an embarrassing and urgent situation. But the country person comprehended the social aspects of those days and the situation of the thieves and then defended them, so he was worthy of compliment owing to practicing drastically duty of chivalrous person. Next, Shin Gwnag-Hyeon who was recognized ability of literary arts assisted senior ruling elites of those days, but the works were intermittent and sporadic. Supporters group also disappeared, and a series of misfortunes in family occurred in addition, so Shin Gwnag-Hyeon went down in the world. In the deprived life he faced squarely the contradictions in the society and described vividly reality of the day. But Shin Gwnag-Hyeon who realized keenly limit of them discovered a clue for resolving life problem of the people and escaping from the fall of the situation in duty of chivalrous person, namely consciousness of the middle class which was the one of products of Yeohang culture. Therefore Shin Gwnag-Hyeon described traces of the past of the country person on the basis of it, reflected himself in contrast to the country person, so consoled himself and took heart.