황석영『장길산』의 '혁명서사'로서의 한계 고찰

Abstract

This essay aims to investigate the Limitations as ‘Narrative of Revolution’ of Hwang, Seok-Young’s Jang Gil San. Earlier Studies assert the characters of Jang Gil San are characterized by class dichotomy of the nobility and the people. This essay finds that reformative characters coexist with non-reformative characters in each class of the upper, the middle, the lower. This finding on the ambilaterality of classes is different from the assertion of earlier studies. This essay pay attention to the way of living and the inclination of consciousness of the reformative characters and the non-reformative characters, so that this essay find the limitations as ‘Narrative of Revolution’ of Jang Gil San. This point of view is different form the earlier studies focusing on the band of Jang Gil San. The antagonists of Jang Gil San are comprised the non-reformative characters of the middle class and the lower class. They heap up riches by conspiring with illegal act of the ruling class, and then raise their social position to the upper class by buying the ‘Yangban’―the upper social status of Joseon. The way of living of the non-reformative characters like this shows the Conservativeness of their Worldly Ideology following the reality of the age of SukJong collapsed the order of social status. They do not try to form a new class based on their riches like the Bourgeoisie leading the Revolution in the west. On the Contrary, The ideology of the reformative characters are religious. The reformative characters are categorized into three groups of the Jang Gil San band, Buddhists and ‘Gumgae’. The idea supporting these three groups spiritually is the faith of ‘Mireuk(彌勒)’. This essay discuss on the Treasons(逆謀) leaded by the Buddhists and the ‘Gumgae’ comparing with Reformation Platform of Jang Gil San. The Treasons attempted twice aims to actualize the Idea of ‘Mireuk(彌勒)’ which pursues the Utopia realized the equality of all the People. So, the aim of the Treasons is progressive. But The Treasons raise limitations that depend on the religious transcendence and pass over the importance of realistic foundation in the ways of execution. These limitations are presented from the point of view of Jang Gil San’s band. The Reformation Platform of Jang Gil San is also based on the Idea of ‘Mireuk(彌勒)’. But they focus on the Economic Foundation and consider the people as subject of revolution. These policy lines of Jang Gil San are more progressive than the lines of Buddhists and the ‘Gumgae’. The band of Jang Gil San act out the policy in the borderland between mundane world and unworldliness. They resist the corruption and illegality of the ruling by the illegality. Accordingly, they also have limitations which could not overcome the position of ‘the boundary men[非僧非俗]’ and form a new social stratum.