@article{ART003342576},
author={임선영},
title={The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales},
journal={The Research of the Korean Classic},
issn={1226-3850},
year={2026},
number={73},
pages={281-310}
TY - JOUR
AU - 임선영
TI - The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales
JO - The Research of the Korean Classic
PY - 2026
VL - null
IS - 73
PB - The Research Of The Korean Classic
SP - 281
EP - 310
SN - 1226-3850
AB - This study focuses on the phenomenon in modern society where companion dogs are signified not merely as animals as family members and emotional companions, aiming to examine this from a humanistic perspective. In particular, it departs from the critical awareness that existing human-animal bond theories lean too heavily toward bio-psychological explanations, thereby possessing limitations in fundamentally clarifying why humans perceive dogs as family-like companion beings. Folktales, as archetypal narratives accumulating the collective unconscious, allow us to examine how the modern meaning of companionship was formed.
The subjects of analysis are seven folktales in total: three variants of the “Dog Fighting a Tiger” type, “The Dog Seeing the World,” “The Dog Better Than a Betraying Wife,” and “The Dog Nursing a Child.” The analysis reveals that the dog appears as a protector guarding humans from external threats, a mediator liberating suppressed beings, an entity possessing higher ethics than humans, and a being of care. These symbols correspond respectively to fundamental human desires: overcoming anxiety and fear, restoring instinct and freedom, confirming loyalty and devotion, and sustaining life.
The study demonstrates that deep within the phenomenon of dogs expanding as emotional companions for humans in modern society, the dog's symbols of comfort and healing found in folktales have established themselves as the core meaning of companionship. These research findings are expected to renew the meaning of “companionship” and, furthermore, encourage companion-dog owners to reflect on their attitudes toward their pets. Through this, the study holds significance in expanding the horizon of humanistic interpretation regarding the human-animal bond.
KW - Folktales;Symbol;Dog;Companion Dog;Meaning of Companionship; Human–Dog Bond
DO -
UR -
ER -
임선영. (2026). The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales. The Research of the Korean Classic, 73, 281-310.
임선영. 2026, "The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales", The Research of the Korean Classic, no.73, pp.281-310.
임선영 "The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales" The Research of the Korean Classic 73 pp.281-310 (2026) : 281.
임선영. The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales. 2026; 73 : 281-310.
임선영. "The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales" The Research of the Korean Classic no.73(2026) : 281-310.
임선영. The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales. The Research of the Korean Classic, 73, 281-310.
임선영. The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales. The Research of the Korean Classic. 2026; 73 281-310.
임선영. The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales. 2026; 73 : 281-310.
임선영. "The Dog as a Symbol of Companionship in Folktales" The Research of the Korean Classic no.73(2026) : 281-310.
