여성 인물의 현실인식과 의미 양상 — 금원(錦園)의 문학작품을 중심으로 —

Abstract

Keum Won(1817~1850?) is a female writer in the Joseon Dynasty period. However, it is difficult to know her correct life span, the period is estimated to be born in 1920 and died since 1850. She was born in a noble family in the Joseon Dynasty and traveled alone at the time in which female traveling was taboo and after long time’s persuasion in 1830, she was attired as a man and traveled with parents’ permission. Eager to want to see a wider world, she traveled Mt. Geumgang, the eight famous spots in Eastern Korea, Mt. Seorak, and Seoul through Uirimji Reservoir of Jecheon and came back to home and then she became to be aware of herself through the traveling experiences on new worlds. Thus, she wrote a travelog,『Hodongseolakki』. We can know that Keum Won was a go-ahead woman overcoming status and social limits through her all-time outstanding literary talent or passion, her leading performance in the Poetry Society of Sam Ho Jeong, ardent poetic activities, and independent figure traveling in man's disguise. Keum Won had a strong desire to new worlds through traveling in the closed society and institutions of inequality among men and women and also described minutely female limits of her age. With that, she shows an enthusiastic attitude about overcoming realities at the time. The traveling for Keum Won was a part of harmony with nature and also it was the aspect of active confrontation for breaking down unfair reality. While most women resigned themselves in the given societal reality and fell passive existences, Keum Won’s thoughts and practice were very active and innovative. Keum Won complied with and improved life in a different way unlike contemporary women. She tried to do away with stereotypes for women and put flexibility of active and enthusiastic thoughts into practice. In conclusion, Keum Won’s works show the possibility of communication about reality intimately with the will for independence in her life from the routine.