염상섭 초기 문학에 나타난 ‘폐허’와 ‘죽음’의 의미

Abstract

More than any other literary figure, Yom Sang-seop focused on the paradoxical force of creation ’ruin’ has. The strength of ’ruins’ were an important power which allowed for Yom to create literature. Yom’s ‘sense of ruin’ originates with the diverse network of people who surrounded him early in his literary career. It is implied that Yom’s literary perspective early in his career was influenced by the literary perspective of his associate Hwang Seok-u due to the way in which Hwang tried to bring his awareness of reality to head in his literature. Starting coterie activities with 『Samgwang』 at Hwang Seok-u’s suggestion became the impetus for Yom Sang-seop to join the 『Pyeheo(ruin)』 group. Yom Sang-seop, who wanted to create a discussion of ethnicity through literature, became interested in the paradoxical meaning of ruin through his activities with the Osan School. The founder of the Osan School, Yi Seung-hun, went through an ideological change due to Christianity and believed that ‘suffering is a blessing’, and this point of view meshed well with the colonial reality as understood through ‘ruin’ in the 『Pyeheo』 group. Yom Sang-seop’s ‘understanding of ruin’ was formed through these experiences and comes through in his early works such as 「Pyo Bonsil’s Treefrog」, 「Dark Night」, and 「Grave」. Yom’s discourse on ‘ruin’ is linked to his inquiry into ‘death’ that he has continued from the start of his career. Using his discussion of ‘ruin’ as a foundation, Yom delved into the problem of the paradox of life and death and started to think of death as being an impetus which draws out ‘beatuy’ and ‘individuality’ in life. Yom, who rationalized life as ‘the expression of individuality one’s self carries’, understood death which draws forth beauty and individuality to be the same as life. Because of this, he focused on ‘suicide’ as being an act which portrays a person’s individuality well. Yom’s inquiry into ruin and death reflects the author’s efforts to discover hope in the reality of Joseon where depression and dispair were endemic. At the same time, Yom also shows the creative sides of Joseon’s modern literature which has come to be misunderstood as ‘decadent fidelity’, or ‘diseased romanticism.’