식민지 한국 정치소설의 모색과 이항우 - 미주(美洲) 발간 『신한민보』 초기 단편소설을 중심으로

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to consider a type of diaspora intellects during the colonial era centering around the life of writer Lee Hang Woo who released his writings on 『The New Korea (『Sinhanminbo』)』 and examine its association with short stories in 『The New Korea(『Sinhanminbo』)』 during the early 1910’s in order to figure out the detailed aspects of novels in 『The New Korea(『Sinhanminbo』)』 more substantially. In addition, this study has begun with this author’s critical awareness that the lack of research methodologies such as individual theories of works or theories of writers was one of the major factors resulting in insufficient discussion on diaspora literature in the colonial era and also excluding it from the history of Korean literature. In the process of research, this author has found that initial short stories in 『The New Korea(『Sinhanminbo』)』 criticized the colonial reality of Korea sharply and advocated concrete revolution for emancipation, and this is the point of how they were distinguished from other novels that released in Korea during the colonial era. Moreover, this study focuses on Lee Hang Woo, one of the representative writers and major figures in the background and traces his life and system of reasoning to infer how they are associated with his works. Writer Lee Hang Woo who left very colorful highlights as an example symbolizing the lives of diaspora intellects in the colonial era had close bonds with 『The New Korea(『Sinhanminbo』)』 through the arrangement and sponsoring of those concerned in the US National Society such as Choi Jeong Ik and Pak Yong Man while staying in England and released several writings of his including novels for about two years. In particular, his theory of novels emphasizing ‘reformism’ in novels stressed the political․social functions of novels, criticized old novels, and also highlighted novels’ influence to the public. In terms of the start of major topics of discussion, it corresponded to the theory of novels of patriotism and enlightenment in Korea written by Pak Eun Sik or Sin Chae Ho. Short stories that Lee Hang Woo released while exhibiting influence on 『The New Korea(『Sinhanminbo』)』 are distinguished from other novels of the time in Korea in terms of subject consciousness or contents and also show differentiated characteristics from other novels included in 『The New Korea(『Sinhanminbo』)』 later. First, he expressed his cool-headed consciousness of criticism about the cause of colonized reality at that time straightforwardly on the front of his works, second, he emphasized armed struggle for emancipation as a concrete solution to overcome that reality, third, he came up with characters wandering around foreign land and dreaming to return to their homeland, and fourth, he presented the image of the ideal future through concrete description on new Korean society coming along. As written above, he started with the same pursuit as that of historical/biographical novels written by such writers as Sin Chae Ho created as the practice of ‘reforming novels’, but consequently, he could landed on ‘political novels’ of different aspects that originated from more practical ground because his novels are grounded on practical and empirical narration of the writer himself and he could be spatially away from Korea in the US where he could speak more freely.