김말봉 단편소설에서의 웃음의 미학: 「편지」, 「고행」을 중심으로

Abstract

Although Kim, Malbong's early short stories 「Letter」 and 「Penance(苦行)」, which this thesis deals with, cannot be classified as humorous novels, their styles carry humorous factors and wits, which reflects the delivery method of smile which was popular in epic genre during Japanese colonial period. 「Letter」 deals with happenings which took place thanks to the letter to the husband after the death of the husband. Although wife Eunhee, filled with sense of betrayal toward husband who she used to believe without doubt, meets with the person who sent the letter, the person was a man, not a woman. Exaggerating description of changed Eunhee who behaves actively dreaming revenge and escaping from submissive image of traditional ‘wise-mother-good-wife’ and depiction of the woman crying with sense of shame knowing the innocence of her husband is the view of men which fetters the woman back again. It seems that the novel criticizes and blames the lightness of women. Junghee in 「Penance」, who is also a paragon of a traditional ‘wise-mother-good-wife’, holds absolute trust in and respect for her husband and performs the role of a good mother. Without having any shred of clue that her husband mistress lives in her neighborhood, she does her best to receive her husband's love. The scene in which her husband have hard time hiding in the closet of Mija gives fun and smile to the readers and gratifying in a way. The jeer toward the husband intemperate sex life and adultery and humor in the punishment of him produce a dramatic effect. Through 「Letter」 and 「Penance」, the author reveals that the life of a traditional ‘wise-mother-good-wife’ is not necessarily a happy one. Although he deals with the meaning and reflection of family and spouse, we can know that, on the reverse side, there is a cold-headed perspective on the reality of women.