이원수 아동극 연구

Abstract

This study looks into the educational effects of the character figuration and theme consciousness observed from the children’s dramas by Wonsoo Lee. In his drama, the main characters are always good persons who live dedicated lives caring other people and show strong will and desire to live earnestly in the end. Such endings are the dramaturgic features in his dramas. In configuring characters and describing personalities, Lee tried to touch and encourage the children from common families to overcome the trials by love. In most dramas of his, children are good and easily settle the troubles. Knowing the reality of the children in that period, his dramas would touch commoners’hearts easily. Those features are from the common touch and humanity in his literature. Such spirits appear as a sympathy that makes people get close to each other, this has a power that touches audiences hearts so that they can have sense of unity with the actors on the stage. On the other hand, from the dramatic tension side, his dramas show limitations in framing that comes from the shortcomings of dramaturgic effects. The main themes and atmosphere in his plays, ‘being poor and being good can be the perfect conditions to be forgiven from any matters’, look quite unrealistic and thus are hardly to be accepted by audiences. It happy endings that the poor main characters can finally draw into a happy ending just because they are good rather than describing the process of interventions and resolutions between human relationship look quite unnatural and is a result of what his dramas are too much tied with the instructive messages. Besides, the atmosphere in his dramas is in general too serious, only focused on children from poor family, and is hardly to give bright and cheerful fun to children. Such weaknesses can be seen as the major problems appearing in his entire literature. However, his efforts appeared in the dialogues of children showing the main characters’ active and positive mind in their lives could strongly encourage and touch audiences’ hearts.