국문장편소설 『완월회맹연』에 나타난 다양한 사위 유형과 그 의미

Abstract

This study examines various types of son-in-law, who are usually major characters in Korean novels, yet are relatively less highlighted than mothers, by focussing on Walwolhoemaengyeon. Scenes depicting the process of preparation for an offspring’s wedding were selected to unravel and focus on the characters of sons-in-law, not husbands or men. In Walwolhoemaengyeon, the images of sons-in-law shown through such scenes include a son-in-law who is disappointed by intended exclusion by his family, a son-in-law who forces his faith regardless of the offspring’s opinion, a son-in-law who loses his mind due to his love toward the offspring, a son-in-law who intends to fulfill his deficits through the wedding, and a son-in-law who is helpless between love toward offspring and respect for his stepmother. These images expressed in the process of preparation for offspring’s wedding display the paternal love with various complicated conditions to suggest or seek the ideal image of a public son-in-law, rather than a personal son-in-law. Next, the wedding of offspring is a rite of passage to ‘become a son-in-law.’ In this process, they can prove their qualities as son-in-law and achieve growth as fathers. Finally, the paternal authority that is relatively firm in all other situations cracks in these scenes to expose the true characters of these sons-in-law with no tailoring.