국문장편소설에 나타난 하층 남성의 존재와 욕망: <완월회맹연>을 대상으로

Abstract

The objective of this study is to actively restore male characters of a lower class who have been alienated in and out of relevant works and to grasp their desires as well in this process. As one target character examined in this study, male characters of a lower class depicted in Wan-wol-hoe-maeng-yeon may be categorized to characters centripetal to a higher class and characters centrifugal to a higher class. Characters centripetal to a higher class include the servants in a central family: Un, Hak, Gyeong, Yong, and Hari Choi, Eon-seon. Characters centrifugal to a higher class include the thief Jang, Son-tal and the Taoist Jang, Son-hwal. One desire of the male character revealed in Wan-wol-hoe-maeng-yeon was a compensation for the positional inferiority as he showed exclusive loyalty. Behind the loyalty of servants of a central family, Un, Hak, Gyeong, Yong, toward the master's family, they hide their strong self-esteem and desire for exclusiveness. They manifest loyalty to the family with the intention of receiving a compensation for the positional inferiority as a servant. Second, they pursue the value of virtue and relationships with people of a higher class. Choi, Eon-seon seek the personal value of virtue rather than material possessions. In his choices and acts for the family and children, he reveals his hidden orientation towards a higher class and desires to be part of Jeongjam's family. Third, they show desires for ‘preciousness’ and ‘power.’ Jan, Son-tal's such desires out of his perception of the lowly position and lack of a sense of belonging are replaced with his resistance and rebel against the precious family of Gyo, Han-pil and even the Imperial Family. Fourth, they dream of a world other than that of Confucianism. Although Jang, Son-hwal's pursuit for Taoism out of his exclusion of Confucianism ends up failing, the deviation and provocation against Confucianism are threatening.