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Ways to Survive in the Age of Capital and Desire: A study of Chaesaenggiwoo(蔡生奇遇) and Jangsugwajeon(張守果傳)

  • Journal of Korean Literature
  • 2022, (45), pp.257-274
  • DOI : 10.52723/JKL.45.257
  • Publisher : The Society Of Korean Literature
  • Research Area : Humanities > Korean Language and Literature
  • Received : March 31, 2022
  • Accepted : May 10, 2022
  • Published : May 31, 2022

Kang Hye-Kyu 1

1서울대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The cases of Kim Ryeong in Chaesaenggiwoo and Ryu Soon Jeong in Jangsugwajeon controlling the fallen upper class at their own will through extraordinary brains and step-by-step persuasion strategies show that decency and ethics, which were emphasized in the Middle Ages, no longer have their power and that rationality and persuasiveness have emerged as the abilities necessary for survival in the new era. In the case of Kim Ryeong, he works secretly for the safety of his daughter, and in the case of Ryu Soon Jeong, he puts the public power on his side to involve many people to cooperate in the scheme. In an era of changes, they play their role as critics of those who stubbornly adhere to the old norms or pursue their desires irrationally as well as being described as new types of people transcending the norms of good or bad and heaven adapted to the changing era of capital and desire. By comparing the two works, a common theme that appears in both can be found. At that time, the class system was shaken, and modern capital and desire overturned decency and ethical norms of the Middle Ages. In this changing era, artist Lee Hyun Gi emphasizes the balance between desire and reason through several typical figures and insists on reciprocal human relationship that transcends norms and institutions.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.