이광수의 『춘향』과 조선 국민문학의 기획

Abstract

It is interesting that Lee Gwang-Soo’s 3 main novels (Heo-Saeng, Jaesaeng(reincarnation),Chunhyang) written in 1923~1926 before his period of historical novels were parodies of Heo-Saeng-Jeon as Korean Chinese Classic, of Gonjikiyacha / Janghanmong as adaptednovel, Chunhyang-Jeon as traditional Korean novel. Because these 3 origins of parody corresponded3 traditions of narrative, which were given to the novel reading world in Koreaof the time. Lee’s creative writing of parody novels was try to program united Korean nationalliterature based on Dong-A Ilbo as national newspaper, refering various traditions ofnarrative and excluding these at the same time. However, text-building principles of these 3parody novels were different respectively. This study aims to reveal ideal form of Koreannational literature programmed by Lee Gwang-soo, focusing on some contexts and aspectsof revisionary writing of Chunhyang. Chunhyang-Jeon was not acknowledged as ‘novel’ in during the Japanese colonial rule,because of its performance method. Lee criticized its performance method based on oralitytoo. But he regarded it as a ‘legend’ in which traces of ancient national literature remained. And he suggested that it had to be ressurected by modern artists. This unique thought had2 backgrounds. One was sense of crisis about theory of Korean literature written bySimamura Hougetsu. Simamura argued that Korean literature written in Korean languagewould not be able to develop, and that Korean literature should be reorganized as a part ofJapanese national literature. And the other was the political perspective of the right-wing nationalistsbased on Dong-A-Ilbo. Lee tried to re-write Chunhyang-Jeon in modern Korean literarylanguage to make it had universal appeal to public readers. Through these efforts, he alsotried to include Korean public readers in the field of modern Korean national literature. Aspects of reviosionary writing of Chunhyang had 2 characteristics. At first, there were a lotof changes in narrtive technique such as separation between parts of conversation and partsof description, consolidation of narrator. These changes transformed Chunhyang-Jeon intoa reading text from a reciting text. The other change was appellation of ‘Mongryong’ fromappellation of ‘Lee-Doryung’. This change transformed Mongryong(a hero) into a personaland internal character from a feudal and class character. Based on this change, Lee suggestedpolitical solidarity between equal individuals. It was related to the political perspectiveof the right-wing nationalists based on Dong-A Ilbo. Thus Lee’s revisionary writing of Chunhyang was related to thought about public readerwho shoud be included in the field of modern Korean national literature, about mediawhich should produce modern Korean national literature, about messages which shouldbe exchanged in the field of modern Korean national literature. In conclusion, Lee’s revisionarywriting of Chunhyang showed us a ideal form of Korean national literature programmedby Lee Gwang-Soo in the mid-1920’s