최재서의 문학과 정치: 낭만주의론과 지성의 의미 변화

Abstract

Choi Jae-seo's Criticism is based on the sense of balance between literature and social or political consciousness by Yeats's romanticism. As reviewed in his early essay on Yeats, his pro-romanticism was, not only superficial knowledge, closely connected with his emotions and experiences. Even focussing on the limit of romanticism in some essays, he did not deny all the possibility of romanticism. In his essays on intellectualism(modernism), the conception of intelligence also was revised in the category of romanticism and the sense of balance. His intellectualism was the detail modification of those. He appropriated 'intelligence' from the romantist point of view. He found out intellectualist methods to overcome the limit of romanticism. For that reason, he always placed high value on 'the ordering of romanticism'. His sense of balance in his early essay on Yeats was maintained in his theory of intelligence. In the early essays, 'intelligence' was neutralized notion without any value judgment. After 1937, the notion was changed into something associated with social or political consciousness. Irrespective of a subtle difference in meaning, the two notions were altogether well-balanced conceptions between intelligence and outward politic action. But had lost this sense of balance, he put his heart and soul into pro-fascist activity that emphasized the importance of politics. In that activity, his well-balanced intelligence('action as un-acted action') gave place to 'muscular activity'. His pro-fascist activity was a tragic result of the wholly failure of his sense of balance.