고려시대 절부(節婦)에 대한 고찰

Abstract

It is generally agreed that the ideology of the “virtuous woman” (yeolnyeo) began to emerge in Korea after the adoption of Neo-Confucianism by the young members of the elite class during the late Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) and only became fully developed during the subsequent Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). In this study I focus on the relationship between the ideologies of yeolnyeo, which emerged during late Goryeo, and of jeolbu (“faithful wife”), which remained an important ethical value throughout the entire Goryeo period. In this study, the main discussion focuses on the relationship between jeolbu and yeolnyeo. In the Goryeo period, fidelity was not a virtue imposed by society but decided upon by each individual woman. A widowed “faithful wife” was treated as the head of her family even when she had an adult male child and could continue to perform her matriarchal duties, such as taking care of her aged parents-in-law as well as her children, or she could lead the life of a Buddhist nun. In contrast with widowed women of Joseon, who were compelled to damage parts of their body or lead a secluded life to demonstrate their faithfulness, widows of Goryeo were able to lead their lives much more as agents thanks to the different social structure. In other words, the family system of Goryeo was not patriarchal and women could enjoy the same rights as men in terms of household registry, the inheritance of properties and titles, and parenthood. The introduction of Neo-Confucianism to Korea during the late Goryeo period, however, brought a significant change to this tradition, resulting in the establishment of such principles as the ‘three obediences’ and the wife’s devotion to one husband. Drastic changes to existing ideas of fidelity and faithfulness resulted in confusion among Korean women in the final years of Goryeo, and the dynastic change in the late fourteenth century was accompanied by the development of the ideology of the “virtuous woman” (yeolnyeo). While the terms were not the same, the meaning of the word jeolbu is not very different from that of yeolnyeo in that they were used to impose upon women a life of dedication and sacrifice, resulting in the consolidation of the ideology of the “virtuous woman” in Joseon. In conclusion, jeolbu is yeolnyeo created by Goryeo, while yeolnyeo is a product of the society and the times.