자선과 저금: 『매일신보』 ‘경제’ 기사의 문화사적 지형과 <연의각> 연재의 맥락

Abstract

This paper explain the inter-relationship between article, a series of economic column of ‘encouragement of saving’ and a group of article on charity. and Yeon-ui-gak, an old novel (1912.4.29.~6.22), published in Mail Sinbo, a representative modern newspaper. The column of ‘encouragement of saving’ were serialized at Maeil Sinbo since 27th of April in 1912, totally 37th. This columns introduced the way of becoming rich, which was based on the idea that saving itself was regarded as exemplary way of Western cultivated nation with the concept of saving bearing interest, saving first, thrift and saving, etc. The Mail Sinbo built the theory of economic enlightenment by enforcing the meaning of saving. On the other hand, Maeil Sinbo published a lot of articles about charity; poor relief and disaster relief. These articles criticized harshly the rich miser who saved money for himself and not care for the other poors and encouraged the manner of the rich; help and care the poor as a duty of modern citizen by way of poor relief, tax cut, and reduction of prices, etc. The Maeil Sinbo suggested the idea that all the modern citizen should practice the charity. In these topography of economic articles, the reader naturally came to re-criticized the meaning of two main characters of Yeon-ui-gak; Heung-bo, a good poor brother and Nol-bo, malicious rich elder one. The reader came to rethink on Heung-bo as a character who should be rich, and on Nol-bo who should give charity. Such articles and columns were works as background context of the novel which leaded the readers way of reading perspective on Yeon-ui-gak.