방학중의 인물 성격과 민중의 내면 표출

Abstract

This paper explores a new methodology of interpreting the tales of Banhakjung that had been orally transmitted in Youngdeuk area in relation to the inner world of its people. Banghakjung can be interpreted as a person who destroys the others and the world, who ignores common sense and morality, who can transform an unfavorable situation into a positive one, and who fulfills his own desire by oral persuasion. The way people narrate Banghakjung’s stories is complicated. Their attitudes change depending on the situation of each storytelling event. The workings of people’s inner world are reflected in their attitudes toward Banghakjung. The stories of Banghakjung are more closely related to individuals’ inner world than to the social problems of the time. His stories reflect people’s desire to live in a changed world. Through Banghakjung’s deviant actions that disregard morality, causality, power, class system, and family relations, people indirectly satisfy their wishes to change the world. Banghakjung stories are also connected to people’s internal world that yearns for gratifying their desires. Secretly people seek to liberate their inner desires from moral standards, In reality they have to follow morality, suppressing their desires. Banghakjung allow people to vicariously gratify their suppressed inner desires. Clever and articulate Banghakjung shows off his maximum ability to the society that denies him any public position. People identify with him. Banghakjung causes problems only for satisfying his own desires or for no reason. In that regard he is not a hero but a self-portrait of people. People tend to hide their secret intent that “even if I can’t do, I wish somebody else would do” and that “even if I am ashame to do, I wish I could do.” The former is represented by Banghakjung’s deviant actions and the latter is illustrated by his inexorable gratification of desires. Banghakjung’s stories demonstrate people’s inner world. People get vicarious satisfaction about their own secret desires through listening to and narrating Banghakjung’s stories and reflect on them. His stories have significant meanings in that they have people introspect their inner most world.