<보은기우록>에 나타난 망모(亡母) 추모 양상과 그 의미

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to examine the expression of respecting the memory of mother and identify the meaning in connection with Consciousness on family, by studying Korean Classical Long-piece Novel <Boeungiurok(報恩奇遇錄)> which had been enjoyed form the late years of the 18th century to 19th century. <Boeungiurok(報恩奇遇錄)> set up the protagonists' mothers died unlike other general Korean Classical Long-piece Novels, and shows various ways of cherishing their deceased mother continuingly. This is the exceptional situation considering most Korean Classical Long-piece Novels show death of people and memory of them at the end of the stories where the completion of the family has been achieved. Furthermore, <Boeungiurok(報恩奇遇錄)> describes the series of actions that protagonists look back upon the memory of their mothers sincerely as it choose their mothers for the deceased who are the closest kinships and also the most emotionally intimate people. Especially Mrs. Yang, who takes large part of this novel as one of the objects of the memory, is very true to Confucianism. Her ideology creates the tension in this story conflicting with her husband who is trying to sustain his ruined family by engaging in the commerce. Therefore the memory of hero's mother is been expanding to accomplishment of family restoration in faithful way to Confucianism beyond missing to the deceased. The way to commemorate the memory of the deceased mother is moving toward stricter obedience of proprieties as the family restoration is being achieved in this novel whose plot unfolds in the way of restoration of ruined family. From this it is confirmed that the memory of the mother is not only to seek communication with the deceased but also a symbol of practice of Confucianism and family restoration. The way of cherishing the deceased mother described in <Boeungiurok(報恩奇遇錄)> carries a meaning as it shows one way out of various figurations of Consciousness on family in Korean Classical Long-piece Novel.