계몽 운동 주체의 변화와 ‘청년’의 구상 －이광수의 「용동」·「농촌계발」·『무정』을 중심으로

Abstract

This paper focuses on three pieces of writing by writer Lee Kwang-su: Yongdong, a short prose, Nongcheon Gyebal, a narrative editorial, and Mujeong, a novel. The focus is a comparison of the three pieces of writing, looking at similarities anddifferences. Yongdong’s structure is based on Nongcheon Gyebal’s, while the conscious theme of Nongcheon Gyebal is repeated and further explored in Mujeong. All three pieces are essentially similar in that they expose anti-feudalism and enlightenment ideology. However, while Yongdong and Nongcheon Gyebal purposely use narration as part of their editorial style, this is not the case with Mujeong, which is entirely in novel format. The differences between the three main protagonists reflect the writer Lee Kwang-su’s changing perceptions of the enlightenment movement. It is interesting to note that the writing demonstrates how the boundaries determining the category of ‘Youth’, which is the internalization of the ideals of civilization, become increasingly detailed. Lee Cham-bong, the main enlightenment movement subject in Yongdong, appears to have an inclination towards a new world but isin fact an out-of-date character still caught up in the world of ‘inheritance’ and ‘donation’. In contrast, Kim Il, the leader of the enlightenment movement in Nongcheon Gyebal, shows readers the need for ‘a new generation’ and the arrival of ‘a new generation’ through his words and actions. In Nongcheon Gyebal, ‘Youth’ is referred to as the group mission to convert all of Chosun into a civilized country. It can be said that the youth ‘group’ that appears in Mujeong—composed of Hyoung-shik, Young-chae, Seon-hyoung and Byeong-wook--has been conceptualized and positioned literally to pick up from and carry out Nongcheon Gyebal’s unfinished tasks. The rescuing of Young-chae and Seon-hyoung by Hyoung-shik is understood as the awakening of their new education by the appropriate character. From this perspective, it appears that, through the narration of love, Mujeong attempts to include females in the ‘New Youth’ category in a positive manner. However, this is but a superficial inclusion. The ‘free love’ portrayed in Mujeong is situated alongside the conflict of male dominance. Young-chae’s innocence is lost to Hyoung-shik through the element of the physical body and is given meaning in a straightforward manner. Through Yongdong, Nongcheon Gyebal and Mujeong, Lee Kwang-su attempts to illustrate the idea of ‘Youth’ groups through a series of narratives and the subject of new enlightenment that seeks to change Chosun. However, in Mujeong, the human portrayal of‘Youth’ is limited to the male gender. The female sex is essentially being excluded from the category of ‘New Youth’.