근대 문학 기점론에서 기원론으로의 전환 - ‘근대’ 문학에서 근대 ‘문학’으로

Abstract

In the 1990s, Korean literary research underwent a historical transformation, marked by broad-ranging studies that can be grouped under the theory of origin. These studies challenge the conventional concept of “literature,” which was previously taken for granted in literary history, by delving into the concept of “modern literature” itself. Rather than tracing the subjective nature or content expressed in the text, they problematize the presupposition of traditional literary history, which regarded “literature” as the “self-expression of the modern (subject).” These studies can be seen as part of “the theory of origin” as they discover this horizon-shifting premise at the time of the emergence of modern literature. This study aims to discuss a shift in the theory of origin, arising from the innovative nature of research that explicitly states that “literature” is a translation or term, rather than possessing a substantive essence. The concept of modern literature as literature of self-expression may essentially be a result and effect of the arrangement of the translation, which is “literature.” The steadfast essence of modern literature and the “inner” aspect, which was the artistic foundation of literature, are also creations of the performative nature of the term “literature.” Of course, the performative nature of the term “literature” should not be absolutized, and the horizon of writing should not be overvalued. This is related to the overdetermination of the symbolic value of “literature” and the neglection of its significance in history. However, issues such as writing, the arrangement performed by writing, and the position of the subject found within that arrangement should be explored in and of themselves. This is not an attempt to “deconstruct” the concept of modern literature but rather an endeavor to look beyond the ideology of modern literature.