<옥주호연>에 나타난 남녀의 정체성 형성 양상과 그 교육적 의미

Abstract

Okjuhoyeon is a novel about marriages of six men and women with the same destiny after they achieved their fame and prestige. It is a peculiar work that lives of the men and women with the same ability, intention, and goal　are displayed in comparatively equal portions. Especially, all the six characters of the work do not follow the division of　areas　in men and women’s roles　according to the existing gender role norm, and they play active parts in the public realm. The composition is meaningful in that the aspects of forming identity of men and women in traditional society can be examined and simultaneously　compared by showing the lives of the male and female characters aiming at the same goal. Therefore, in this paper, the aspects of identity formation of the characters in Okjuhoyeon　were found out and the educational meaning of the work which is exposed during the course　was intended to be examined. The lives of the male and female characters appearing in Okjuhoyeon follow the structure of a life story of a hero. Usually, the life of the hero can be examined divided into three stages called Separation, ordeal, and integration.　Because the identity formation of a human is realized with a course to be integrated into society again, passing through an individualized course after being separated from existing society, it well coincides with stages of human life that the journey of the hero represents. So, at the result of looking into the course of identity formation of the male and female characters, it could be known that male characters show an image to follow traditional male identity by accepting existing ideology intactly　from receiving social encouragement on the other hand, female characters oppose existing philosophy and explore new female identity. Okjuhoyeon has educational meaning in that it represents relation between　an individual and a society and change possibility of gender identity in the course of forming identity of men and women through the contents’ development. Namely, it brings up a problem of　recognizing social gender　discrimination which is shown during the course of identity formation　and another problem of selecting　identity as personal response to the recognition problem. Although the male and female characters appearing in this novel head for the same goal in equal conditions, it shows difference of their lives. By the way, the difference comes from not personal factors but social recognition of sexual discrimination. The work shows how the society deals with men and women and also points out difference of the lives of the men and women due to the influence of recognition of gender discrimination and problems　originated from the difference. Additionally, in this work, male characters receive social encouragement and form male identity according to a way which is decided by society. However, female characters reject the way and explore a new way although they receive social suppression. Therefore, by showing　an image to form new female identity that they want, they suggest change possibility and diversity of gender identity. Like these, the novel exposes negative influence of　recognition of gender discrimination and problems caused from it　by showing other life like the men and women were demanded to live differently just because of gender difference. Furthermore, through Yu Ja-ju and her two sisters　who recovered social gender discrimination and pioneered a new way, the possibility that identity is not fixed but changeable and　plus diverse identities can exist in all men and women is shown. Hence, Okjuhoyeon can be a great literary work in educational meaning in that the necessity of recognition conversion　of　social fixed gender identity is raised through the course of identity formation.