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A Lack of Ethics Shown in the Onggogipjeon and Solutions to Overcome

  • Korean Language & Literature
  • 2016, (97), pp.131-155
  • Publisher : Korean Language & Literature
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature
  • Published : June 30, 2016

Shin hyo kyung 1

1충남대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Economic development in the late Joseon Dynasty served as a stepping stone for moving from the Middle Ages to modern times along with the growing commoners consciousness. But what lay behind the scene was inappropriate conducts of the class that chased after economic interests only, just ignoring the traditional ethics. Accordingly, this study was committed to reviewing a lack of ethics shown in the Onggogipjeon as well as its solutions, which was followed by a study on the meaning of it with respect to the history of literature. First of all, in the late Joseon Dynasty, the low classes with wealth amassed in the fields of agriculture and commerce jumped up to the low-ranking yangban class by means of the policies so called Napsok, Wonnap, etc. As illegalities and corruption grew rampant in the process, the subjugated class came to express complaints about the ruling class and foster self-consciousness. Such consciousness boiled down to a work like Onggogipjeon. Onggogipjeon is a work describing the aspect of collision between the ideology of Neo-Confucianism and economic interests. In the process of colliding, the low classes strengthened critical consciousness and fostered self-consciousness, in which a sign of modern consciousness can be glanced. Secondly, with the rise of the bourgeoisie in the late Joseon Dynasty, it happened that people, just like Onggojip, obsessed by wealth, denied traditional ethics and communal culture. As the lack of ethics was deepening, the awareness to correct and discipline about it became intensified. The selected way of making correction was to live a switched life. The low classes, through the reversed life, dragged a group of wealthy people down to proper recognition of the reality. This was a reflection of hope for bringing a desirable society by ethically rearming the wealthy. Third, the limitation of ethical discourse and the significance with respect to the history of literature were taken into account. In Onggogipjeon, the disciplining method of Onggojip was not realistic, and in the end the existing system was followed. This aspect can be pointed out as a limitation making it unable to get away from the past while chasing after the modern times. However, it is worthwhile to acknowledge that this work represented the transition period in the history of literature as it well grasped an aspect around the contact point between the Middle Ages and modern times.

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