고전서사물의 변신담, 그 유형과 의미

Abstract

This thesis classifies the metamorphoses in classical narratives and explores their meanings in the perspective of desire and unification. First, this thesis examines both desire and the matter of unification as a perspective on the metamorphosis. The transfiguration was classified into three types by considering if the consequence is unification when two different worlds converge, the persistence of their transformations, and the realization degree of the subject’s desire. The first is the unification type that the subject follows the ultimate desire and unifies two different worlds. The second is the competition type that the subject takes a temporary transformation as a way to fulfill the desire and comes back to the original shape. And lastly, the third is the frustration type that the subject takes the transformation without fulfilling the desire and keeps the transformed body with failure and despair. Second, the thesis examines the features of each type. First of all, the unification type that the subject accomplishes the unification of two worlds and perpetuate the transformed status could have an amicable mutual relationship between two worlds in the way of their unification while some subjects become fixed into one world in making the amicable mutual relationship or other subjects unifies two worlds with only granting the being of one world the transformation initiative. Second, the exhibition type is diverse from the pieces that the subject does not show any changes in quality before and after the transformation to the pieces that the subject shows a big difference. Lastly, the frustration type varies according to the accomplishment of desire after the frustration. Third, instead of examining the processes or results of the transformation on the surface, this thesis explores the deeper meanings of metamorphoses in classical narratives.