KJCKorea
Journal Central

This thesis examines the characteristics of the narrative development in <Banghanrimjeon> and finds its literary meaning. While accepting the material of women disguised as men in the existing hero novels, we examine the narrative background in which the subject matter of same-sex marriage could be inserted. The first narrative quality is that appearance and action appear to be proportional. The reason that Bang Kwan-ju was able to finish the final narrative with a heroic figure was because the masculine figure and actions were proportional. Young hye-bing, who agreed to same-sex marriage, also shows the proportionate nature of appearance and behavior. This work revolves around the narrative that the special way of life of same-sex marriage exists in the world and that all humans are noble. The characteristic of the second narrative is that it develops with a complex mix of opposing emotions. The main character of <Banghanrimjeon> is a woman, but she lived with the opposite attitudes and emotions of being a man. Just as Bang kwan-ju lived a double life of a woman and a man and lived in mixed emotions, Young hyeBing lived as a woman in the Joseon Dynasty, dreaming of freedom beyond that era. It is because of these conflicting emotions that <Banghanrimjeon> was able to focus on same-sex marriage and also appeared as a novel in the 19th century. The third characteristic of the narrative is that the main character uses a material that does not live long by changing it into a material that will live long. <Banghanrimjeon> is a work that properly arranges the material in which the main character of the biographical novel does not live long and the material in the heroic novel where the main character lives for a long time. <Banghanrimjeon> enjoys happiness such as expression of free will, career advancement, and beautiful marriage, but the process of Bang kwan-ju's re-entering the male world changes it to a life that does not last long. Through this short-lived life, it focuses on “the great discovery of a man, not a woman.” <Banghanrimjeon> uses these three narrative qualities to correct the confused emotions of Bang kwan-ju and Young hye-bing. In the meantime, while accepting the conservativeness of the existing heroic novels, it embodies the literary meaning of this work by adding romance. In order to persuade 'same-sex marriage', it is a work that embraces the conservativeness of existing heroic novels, but balances romanticism with aspirations for a new life.

Banghanrimjeon, female hero novel, female hero, same-sex marriage, Female Householder, short-lived, neutral narrative