「옥루몽」에 나타난 초월적 요소의 성격과 대중성

초록

This paper presents an analysis of the nature of transcendentelements in 「Ok-Ru-Mong」 from the perspective of popularity. Enteringthe latter half of Joseon, the country witnessed the emergence of worksexhibiting realistic values such as Pansori novels and novels ofmanners along with many works that emphasized materiality based oncommerciality. Previous studies focused on a shift from transcendenceto secularity in the understanding of novel history in the latter half ofJoseon, but that tendency did not appear in 「Ok-Ru-Mong」consistently. 「Ok-Ru-Mong」 repeatedly embraced the transcendent elements insuch early classical novels as Sukhyangjeon and Guwoonmong, which isa phenomenon of transcendent elements in early classical novelscontinuing and reinforcing and of transcendent elements combining withgenre grammar and fantasy and performing a new function withinworks. In other words, the acceptance of transcendent elements was notto pursue a transcendent view of the world but to correspond with theinterest elements of the public. While transcendent elements worked asworld views and organizational principles in early classical novels, theyhad popularity of keeping the genre custom and functioning as theinterest elements in 「Ok-Ru-Mong」. That is, transcendent elementswere transformed to have playful fantasy in the novel, which phenomenon illustrates that those who enjoyed classical novels changedtheir horizon of expectations for them in those days. That is,transcendent elements were not absurd materials but aesthetic devices tobroaden the scope of narrative development and create causal relationsin classical novels.

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