『자유부인』의 젠더 정치-성적 가면과 정치적 욕망을 중심으로

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the methodologies of the gender politics that represents and condemns a time of turmoil by means of the gender and body of women, based on the reading of LadyLibertine by Bi-sukJung. The analysis is carried out on the two levels: first, I examine the makeup techniques of the main character, Sun-young Oh. ‘Make-up as freedom’ is self-masquerading of the phallic woman wanting to get involved in the male socio-economy rather than mere seducing of men. Namely, it can be called the politics of masks. With respect to this, what is condemned in the novel is in truth the phallic or socioeconomic desire that the make-up tries to conceal although it seems to be the abandon of the lady libertine. Second, the genderization of plot is discussed in this research. Lady Libertine is narrativized with the impetus of plotting propelled by the social, sexual desire of Sun-young. However, when her husband, Tae-yon Chang, holds back his sexual desire towards another woman, Eun-mi Park, the impetus goes away and the plot is terminated. What we can grasp here is that the sexual, bodily adventures of the women create popularity of the novel where as the male authority and claims vindicate its moral standards. Furthermore, the novelist feminizes the upheavals of his day and masculinizes the will to improve the reality. The way for improvement depending on the patriarchal authority of men is nothing more than the restoration of the traditional or antique.