‘고양이[猫]’를 소재로 한 假傳의 특징과 의미–「烏圓子傳」과 「烏圓傳」의 編綴性을 중심으로–

Abstract

This study discusses Cho Gui-myeong’s Ohwonjajeon and Yu Bon-hak’s Ohwonjeon to explain the characteristics and meanings of gajeon about cats. In addition, it pays attention to a form of anthropomorphism of cats, information about cats, people’s perceptions of cats, and an arrangement without causal association that uses established stories or authentic precedents to discuss the literary traits of gajeon. While both works maintain the typicality of gajeon in their narrative development and construction of their content, their ways of anthropomorphizing cats differ. Above all, Ohwonjajeon personifies a cat as a valiant commander, and descriptions about Ohwon’s life are concentrated in a specific period. In the case of Ohwonjeon, because the cat’s life is personified as a whole, the general problem of cats becomes a main theme. Therefore, it can be said that Cho Gui-myeong focuses on constructing the character of Ohwon through the personification of cats, while Yu Bon-hak focuses on metaphorical views of the nature of cats rather than constructing the character of Ohwon. In this sense, both works have more specific and realistic characteristics than many gajeons of Korea that have abstract and ideological characteristics in their personification of animals. In addition, in terms of arrangement without causal association, the description of personal history and information that give a personality to animals using stories or authentic precedents builds the comic, literary traits of gajeon.