국문장편 속 ‘피’의 표상과 서사적 의미 - 주동인물의 경우를 중심으로

Abstract

Since ‘Blood’ symbolizes both life and death, it has been an important topic in literature. The Korean classical long novels are also actively using this imagery of blood. This paper is about how the blood, that contains various symbolic aspects, are used in Korean classical long novels and how it builds relationships with existing systems and ideologies. Through this study, it is expected to consider not only the way this unique and provocative material is used in the literature but also the reactions of the readers. The examples of the representative formations of blood in Korean classical long novels are ‘Aenghyeol’, vomiting blood, flogging, and self-injury. The specific forms and situations of bleeding are diverse, such as ‘Aenghyeol’ as the mark of women virginity, vomiting blood as the expression of internal worries, blood from flogging as the obedience to authority, and self-injury as the will of resistance. However, the blood magnified in Korean classical long novels is in common, since these are objectified to be shown to others. By actively using its visual image, it is able to raise dramatic effects and deliver the message without language. Using blood for a show in Korean classical long novels are related to the independence of the body. Rather than a subject that has its own identity, the bodies in Korean classical long novels are more like an object of the cooperative system. In this case, the body becomes a target of observation of the public and its blood are exposed as a dramatic symbol of the objectified body. The owners of the body try to gain recognition of internalizing public ideology by showing their blood, or on the other hand, reveal their will of resistance by clarifying the ownership of the body, as the case of self-injury. However, either is the same in that it is delivering the oppressive reality of the objectified body and the pain caused by it. The readers experience the sublime by keeping a certain distance from the fear caused by blood. Since Korean classical long novels embody the blood of ordinary and detailed situations, the effects of reading increase through empathy. Readers could be ethically reformed by the emotional influence of the blood, or be awakened by criticizing discrepancy. Moreover, hence Korean classical long novels are popular reading, the sensational imagery of blood also acquires important meaning as the element arousing popular interests.