운명과 의지 사이에서 — 《醒夢駢言》 혼인관념의 주제의식 변화

Abstract

During the rewriting of Qing Dynasty’s literary novel Liaozhaizhiyi (聊齋志異) into the colloquial novel Xingmengpianyan (醒夢駢言), both big and small changes in form, content and subject consciousness take place. Among the changes in subject consciousness, the ‘change in the notion of marriage’ has a very important meaning as it specifically shows the type of change in the subject consciousness of Xingmengpianyan (醒夢駢言). This change is not in the ‘superiority- inferiority’ or ‘upper-lower’ relationship in which certain ideologies or values ​​are reinforced or weakened, but rather shows the degree of ‘changes’ and ‘differences.’ Thus, it helps compensate for the limitations of a rigid observation attitude and examine the patterns of change at an equal position in multiple ways. The changes in the subject consciousness of the ‘notion of marriage’ reveal the characteristics of ‘marriage practice’ and ‘marriage communion’. Liaozhaizhiyi (聊齋志異) strongly presents ‘fatalism,’ implying that marriage is bound by fate, which is also partially maintained in Xingmengpianyan (醒夢駢言). However, the difference in the notion of marriage in Xingmengpianyan (醒夢駢言) and Liaozhaizhiyi (聊齋志異) is that an individual’s practice and emotions are highlighted more than the fatalism theory in expressing the notion of marriage. The novel emphasizes that although marriage is achieved within the constraint of ‘fate’ and relationship, it emphasizes the attitude of ‘marriage practice’ with active effort and practice become more important in marriage. If the attitude of ‘marriage practice’ is an expression of effort and will revealed externally, the attitude of ‘marriage communion’ can be seen as an expression of the emotions and reactions inherent in it, which focus on various emotions and empathy between a man and woman for marriage. The novel especially demonstrates that both the male and female characters’ expression of their genuine affection and will is not a one-way reaction attributed to the one-sided pursuit of affection, but is actually a two-way exchange through the close relationship and interactions or responses of the two. The ‘change in the notion of marriage’ shows its ‘difference’ more directly and accurately than any other changes in examining the characters and their personal values ​​in the novel. Above anything, the ‘change in the notion of marriage’ provides more detailed descriptions of individual traits and inner values ​​of the characters of the novel, since the characteristics are portrayed more concretely through the relationship between individuals, rather than other notions that are based on the changes of society and the times. In addition, such change is an essential element in broadly examining various aspects of ‘the whole and individual’, ‘the self and others’, and ‘the society and relationship’, focusing on the individual.