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Study on smell image of 1990s poems

  • Korean Language & Literature
  • 2015, (94), pp.395-422
  • Publisher : Korean Language & Literature
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature

Jeong Jinkyung 1

1부경대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Olfactory sense can be a code to diagnose not only an individual but also society and culture in Korean poem history responding to history and reality. Consciousness process of respective senses in physical phenomenology is similar but different mental characteristics are shown depending on which part of brain is stimulated by perceived sense. Generally, research from sensible viewpoint and research from olfactory viewpoint can sometimes be interpreted in common context between them but there is an aspect which can be explained from the olfactory viewpoint only. In this respect, smell image of 1990s poems was investigated by using physical perception theory and sociocultural smell theory, and the result shows following characteristics; Characteristic of olfactory sense in 1990's is as follows. First, it signifies criticism and response to civilized society of materialism as a 'fishy smell'. The 'fishy smell' used as poetic metaphor in a poem is mainly used to represent non-healthiness of cultivation. This seems that it signifies poets' crisis awareness of humanity being destroyed by cultivation in 1990' through olfactory sense, in other words, it seems to signify the essence of human existence introspecting the essence of biological existence through olfactory sense. Second, it signifies decadent phenomenon and nihility resulting from indiscreet consumption culture as 'pheromone scent'. 'Pheromone scent' in a poem is represented as a meaning of pleasure with non-life force. This seems that poets signify individual psychopathology, desire and deficiency mass-produced by cultural reality concentrated on commercialism in 90's through sense of smell. Third, poets signify their morality expression and reality purification awareness of materialistic reality in society and overall culture as 'smell of burning'. The 'smell of burning' in a poem is mainly used as meaning of purification. This seems that it is poets' olfactory morality and criticism instinctively ignited in social reality of distorted culture without ideology in 90's. As above, it seems that olfactory image in poems in 90's has many olfactory senses using symbolism and mental value of smell as poetic metaphor. The reason why olfactory senses related to degeneration were much expressed different from other ages is possibly because specific consciousness of spirit and material was not settled in society in 90's even though it got out of logic of group and spirit. We can say that it did not have crisis of life but it expressed mental decadence owing to culturism and capitalism through olfactory senses.

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