박경리 시의 생명관 연구 - 생기적 유물론을 중심으로 -

초록

This paper aims to analyze Pak Kyong-ni's view on life from the perspective of vital materialism and to reveal the source of her perception of the environment and life. In her poetry, Park Kyong-ni criticizes how material civilization and human arrogance destroy life, arguing that the prosperity created by human selfishness and capitalism paradoxically leads to the destruction of life and ultimately to death. Furthermore, she asserts that true coexistence with nature requires communication not only with humans and animals, but also with non-human entities, including inanimate objects. In addition, she emphasizes that although fundamental changes are urgently needed in the current era, such transformation is hindered by human arrogance, thereby underscoring the critical need for a shift in humanity’s attitude toward life. Her understanding of the environment and life is vividly embodied in her poetry, particularly in works that advocate for “becoming non- human,” a concept rooted in the yearning to become the other. Not only are animals such as birds and butterflies portrayed as autonomous entities, but abstract concepts like time are also personified, reflecting a desire to transcend anthropocentrism. Simultaneously, the anthropomorphization of non-human beings serves to articulate a vision of coexistence with nature and the material world. Thus, the poet broadens the realm of life in her poetry to embrace not only living creatures but also non-human subjects such as objects and abstract notions. This perspective on life and on things which regards non-human entities as active participants, resonates with Jane Bennett’s theory of vibrant materialism. Both Jane Bennett and Park Kyong-ni share the epistemological premise that acknowledging non-human entities as agential forces is crucial to effecting a shift in human behavior-a necessary condition for mitigating the ongoing destruction of the environment and the natural world. In conclusion, since humans are naturally associated with non-humans, Pak Kyong-ni advocates coexistence with life (including non-humans) through "the entanglement and activity of humans and non-humans" in her poetry. Coexistence with the world, in her view, arises from an attitude that honors both human and non-human entities alike, and within this relational process, she emphasizes the need for humanity to seek a “creative equilibrium.” Additionally, this study is significant in that it explores the category of life in Park Kyong-ni’s poetry from the perspective of vital materialism, thereby broadening the conceptual scope of her worldview and her philosophical understanding of life.

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