無名子 尹愭와 文無子 李鈺의 寓言

Abstract

This paper aims to verify the distinctive feature of Yun Ki and Yi Ok’s prose allegories which dealt with social issues and conflicts. Yun Ki and Yi Ok actively produced many prose allegories with unique critical points of views and observations by using various literary aspects.Yun Ki and Yi Ok could be categorized as “alienated literati” in 18th century Chosen, but they took distinctive paths. Moreover, they used different measures and approach to deal with their ordeal by writing various prose allegories.This paper put more focus on their prose allegories which contain political musings to extract concrete subject matters and literary technics. In addition, the paper aims to analyze the authors’ outlooks on their era and aesthetic aspects of their artworks.The most distinctive political subjects of their prose allegories are corrupted state exams, social disparities among literati groups, and the hardships of subjugated classes. Also, they depicted ideal image of rulers and the agony of ordinary lives with a cynical and ironic tone.Yun Ki and Yi Ok were privileged to experience the dynamics of 18th century Chosen. However they failed to get bureaucrat positions due to lineage and political issues. As authors who maintained critical point of views, they chose to write sharp prose allegories with various technics such as contrast and satire.Prose allegories of Yun Ki and Yi Ok should receive more attentions on their literary achievements, and their artworks should be examined along with many other authors’ prose allegories in Chosen dynasty to understand the history of prose allegory holistically.