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The Description Method of War and its Literary Meaning in Sojungwhayeokdaeseol focusing on Imjinyaoran

  • The Research of the Korean Classic
  • 2020, (50), pp.173-218
  • DOI : 10.20516/classic.2020.50.173
  • Publisher : The Research Of The Korean Classic
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature > Korean Literature > Korean classic prose
  • Received : July 22, 2020
  • Accepted : August 12, 2020
  • Published : August 31, 2020

Boyoon Yoon 1

1충남대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Sojungwhayeokdaeseol is a historical narrative focusing on the achievements of the king in the Joseon Dynasty while covering the description of capable statesmen and famous figures. It deals with s a story about Imjinyaoran, the Japanese invasion of the Joseon Dynasty in 1592, which covers a considerable part in this work. We can find the author’s consciousness added by literary elements in many areas in spite of a characteristic of delivering the facts of the war faithfully. First, it begins with the introduction of an independent story in which the conditions and circumstances of outbreak of the Japanese invasion are listed. It contained the ominous sign from heaven or extraordinary figure’s prediction warning the coming war. He also introduced the circumstances of being unable to prepare for the war in the Royal court due to the strife between political parties and the ambition of Pungsinsugil. Second, the anecdotes of JoHeon and Yi Sun-sin were embodied and highlighted as central figures while listing the progress of the Japanese Invasion over time. It was emphasized the fact that Jo Heon continuously filed an appeal to urge preparation of war and that he was killed heroically by raising up forces in the cause of justice. Yi Sun-sin was depicted as a figure respected by the people by constructing turtle ships in advance to prepare for the Japanese invasion and by winning a series of battles. Third, he tried to portray the King Seonjo positively while advocating the historical narrative with the list of objective facts. To this end, he emphasized the king’s ordeal, shifted his responsibility to other people, and excluded descriptions of his failed administrational situation. The author of Sojungwhayeokdaeseol reconstructed the whole story for the reader to easily understand instead of simply arranging the fact when dealing with the Japanese invasion. In addition, the author included literary elements by reflecting his consciousness on the description of the fact. In the meantime, there revealed characteristics such as the fact that the story became different from the truth in trivial parts or the biography of a distinguished person was described with extension. This literary style brought about popularity for this historical narrative not only by stimulating readers' interest but also satisfying the pleasure of enjoying real history, not fiction.

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