고전시가 속 권력의 한 양상과 그 문화론적 함의

Abstract

This study is intended to explore on the features of power in Korean Classical Poetry, as well as its transformational patterns and its cultural implications. Although power has existed in every age as a relational force that every human being who is part of a society has experienced, the discussion of power in the classical poetry study tends to be limited mainly to the upper classes’ poetry during Choseon Dynasty. This study which starts from the consciousness of this problem, attempts to examine characteristics and aspects of power in medieval poetry(Ancient songs, Hangga, Goryeosokyo) which has been as the periphery of the power debate and also its transforming process in terms of Saseolsijo after the opposing views and conceptual definitions of power, This study can be summarized as follows. In Ancient songs, divine absolute power that makes obedience to the power, inevitable absolute power that forced to compromise, and resistance power against it are discovered. In Hangga, absolute power based on voluntary sympathy, power that seemed to be absolute and shaken in reality, power that was shaken by the resistance of the subject are discovered. In Goryeosokyo, absolute power which is presented in a dual relationship between the subjects, power shaken by the gaze of the witness are discovered. These seemingly chaotic aspects of power show characteristics that indicate the absolute power is dominant and resistance power is partial in the relation of two powers. Likewise, absolute power has been usually symbolized as a power representing the ‘center’ such as a god, a religious being, a king, etc. whether it is robust, shaky or irresistible. In contrast resistance power has been symbolized as a power representing the ‘periphery’ against dominant absolute power. These two powers show the expansion of the slope in the poetry of late Choseon Dynasty, Saseolsijo. In the case of absolute power, a new form of power that is targeted by women appears as well as the power pattern seen in the previous poetry and in the resistance powers, resistance to the central force by ordinary and everyday figures(especially women and children) surfaces. These two powers, absolute power and resistance power, reveal their cultural implications in mutual antagonism in the historical flow of poetry. In other words, the absolute power that dominated the Middle Ages begins to reveal cracks in the poetization of everyday life and the works dominated by everyday life also have begun to show a huge sketch of cultural power in this period by positive raising the question of center-centeredness and the aesthetic tension of the lyric-narrative. These aspects of power can be more meaningful in relation to the macro power structure on the back that operates it. However, it is meaningful in that they are clear visible that the aesthetic tension between mainstream discourse and peripheral discourse has begun to be made.