환타지 언어의 문학적 효용성

Abstract

The Literary Value in the Language of Fantasy Kang Hoon, Lee . As modern literature becomes aware of the unstable relation between mimetic writing and reality, fantasy comes up as an alternative to realism in literature. According to Plato and Aristotle, western literature emphasized mimetic function of language and established mimetic tradition in writing, which resulted in denying creative function of language. In fantasy, language enjoys its autonomy and function as a tool that creates fictional world as well as reflects the existing world. This creative aspect of language in fantasy is a common feature in mythical thought and children's language and thought. Todorov argues that fantasy's creative power lies in mythical thought and its linguistic creativity is the basis for fantasy to be an alternative to mimetic writing of realism. The unreal world of fantasy which seems to deny everyday reality, has its own logic of validity and it is very similar to children's language and thought. For children, the world is consisted in "intentions" and language is a tool for making the "intentions" real. They believe that language has a power over material things and can change them. The autonomy, creativity and primacy over things in this "magical language" of children also play an important role when fantasy realizes autonomous, alternative world of language beyond the mere reflection of the existing world. This is why the study of fantasy should be focused on linguistic features of mythical thought or children's language. And this also helps to understand the origin and use of literary language which is different from traditional aesthetics of realism.