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The Meaning of "Madness" Shown in the Female Narrative in Korean and Chinese Literature - Focused on the comparative study of Baek Shin-Ae’s “Madman`s Diary” and Mei Niang’s “Before the Operation”-

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1계명대학교

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ABSTRACT

This study analyzes the meaning of madness shown in the female narrative, focusing on two novels- 「Before the Operation」 by Mei Niang and 「Madman`s Diary」 by Baek Shin-Ae. The novel 「Before the Operation」 reveals women’s instinctive desires through an insane woman and brings up a problem of unfair suppression caused by patriarchism. On the other hand, the heroine of 「Madman`s Diary」 shows madness when she is at a crisis to be "the other" in the patriarchal system. Her madness is caused because she fails to find the meaning of her presence in the system. Interestingly, a woman who departs from moral standards of patriarchy (from 「Before the Operation」) becomes thefocus of public censure while a man (from 「Madman`s Diary」) who also ignores those standards seems to be a victim. In 「Madman`s Diary」, the man’s wife is accused of being mad while he draws sympathy as a victim. This shows that those moral standards have duplicity. At this point, the heroines who continuously adjust themselves to the system express their madness. In other words, the madness implies a stern protest against the moral standards applied differently to men and women. It is unique that the two heroines of the novels become "sane" when they encounter thematter of "being a mother". When it comes to 「Madman`s Diary」, "being a mother" of the insane woman who becomes "the other" in the system foretells dismal future. Meanwhile, Mei Niang indicates the way- "being a mother"- to overcome the dismal future through 「Before the Operation」. In this case, the mother is not a figure that reproduces the patriarchal power structure, but an independent figure who wants to change it. For that reason, "being a mother"has the meaning of subversion and resistance.

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