채만식과 라오서(老舍) 소설에 나타난 매독 서사와 알레고리 비교 연구

Abstract

This study compares Chae Man-sik’s 『Takryu』 and Lao Seo’s 『The Crescent』 because the two novels not only reflect the aspects of the 1930’s when red-light districts and prostitution were prevalent with the motif of syphilis (sexual disease) but also have allegorical meaning in that the source of infection is huge capital that is invisible. The novels have one thing in common in that although syphilis is physical disease that personal and concealed, they both symbolize it as greed for ‘money’ resulted from the influx of modern capital, that is, absolute evil, resulting in the inevitable destruction and collapse of female subjects represented by the weak. Through comparison, three points have been derived as follows. Chobong, the main character of 『Takryu』 and ‘I’ in 『The Crescent』 were both born with the fate of having no choice but to trade themselves for money. The first is the fall of fathers, and the second is their beautiful faces. If this is interpreted allegorically, it corresponds to the situations that Korea lost its sovereignty and China was exploited by the war of aggression. The second is that syphilis in both novels is used as a symbol of greed for money and decadence. In 『Takryu』, it is spread by a character named Taesu, and in 『The Crescent』, it is spread by an unspecified number of men. In the process of prostitution, both Chobong and I became victims getting infected by that; thus, it can be seen as an unfair trade. The third is the emergence of evil which is the source of infection. In 『Takryu』, character named Hyeongbo engaged in exploitation, deprivation, and violent behavior over Chobong restlessly while in 『The Crescent』, the subjects of evil are ‘high-birth aristocrats’ who are the officials exploiting the people in a dualistic manner. They are both provided with social meaning as a symbol of absolute evil that extorts the weak rather than a specific individual.