염상섭의 『만세전』에 나타난 ‘개성’과 ‘생활’의 의미 - 아리시마 다케오(有島武郞)의 『아낌없이 사랑은 빼앗는다(惜みなく愛は奪ふ)-』와의 비교를 중심으로 -

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to compare Yeom Sang-seop's Before Hurrah with Arishima Takeo's Take the Love by Force without Mercy. Before Hurrah that developed by Protagonist Yi In-hwa’s journey from Tokyo to Seoul, reproduces the reality of colony Korea. In 1920’s, Yeom was interested in 'Life', the aspects of colonists’ life in Before Hurrah are related to Arishima’s 'Habitual Life' and 'Intellectual Life'. The figure of Koreans who are overwhelmed by the power of outside world like colonial rule corresponds to 'Habitual life'. And the figure of Koreans who compromise with government power to maintain their trivial personal profit corresponds to 'Intellectual Life'. Meanwhile Yi In-hwa who hated the being of his sick wife and longed for love with Japanese café waitress Shizuko, realizes that his own love for others was just false or hypocrisy passing through itinerary. The change of perceptions about love is effected from Arishima’s unique idea that love is not showing mercy on other but taking other’s individuality by force without mercy in order to find the coincidence between the two individuals and to reach at one. And the change aims for 'Impulsive Life' that guarantees the brilliant exploit of individuality. Moreover Yeom gave a hint about 'Hurrah' that is the figure of independence by expanding individuality in personal dimension to individuality in ethnic dimension. In other words, the relation between Yeom and Arishima in Before Hurrah proves author’s plan to draw and show the validity of decolonization by appropriation.