양공주 서사에 나타난 잔인한 낭만 –최정희의 『끝없는 낭만』 작품론

Abstract

This study examines the significance of Choi Jeong-hee’s Endless Romance as a nar-rative following the inner life of an individual woman. Known as a “post-liberation Western Princess novel,” the work portrays the tragic life of a woman caught between the dilemmas of “international marriage” and the label of “Western Princess.” Drawing from Choi Jeong-hee’s experiences living among Western Princesses in 1952, the novel sheds light on their daily struggles, focusing on their internal lives. This study reexamines the “Western Princess” issue as depicted by Choi Jeong-hee, exploring three key aspects through the lens of the protagonist’s emotional interiority. The protagonist, Lee Chae-rae, suffers from the imposed shame resulting from the gaze of others, including her father and her former fiancé, Bae Gon. Her nonconformity to societal norms and her deviant desires ultimately generate shame within herself. The shame is closely linked to various mental health issues such as depression, anxiety disorders, addiction, and suicide, demonstrating its entanglement with the struggles of Western Princesses. The narrative is further enriched by the characters surrounding Lee Chae-rae: Han Sang-mae, an intellectual female student, and Jeong Soon-ja, a “Western Princess,” who reflect Lee Chae-rae’s conflicting identities. Significantly, it is Jeong Soonja, rather than a family member or spouse, who accompanies Lee Chae-rae during her final moments, offering a profound implication. Lastly, what deepens Lee Chae-rae’s misery is the fact that she is the mother of a mixed-race child. Struggling with her son’s distinct appearance and the absence of her husband, she is compelled to send her child to an orphanage, opting for overseas adoption as a solution. Her aimless wandering through snow-covered streets symbolizes her heightened anxiety, and her death is foreshadowed throughout the narrative. Ultimately, the story concludes not with a “return” to family but with a complete “escape” from it.