Voice against Social Taboos: Re-reading The Descendants of Cain (1954) and Sunlight, Moonlight (1964) from the Perspective of World Literature

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This paper examines The Descendants of Cain (1954) and Sunlight, Moonlight (1964) by Hwang Sunwŏn (1915-2000) from the perspective of world literature. He intertextualized and rewrote his Japanese predecessor’s fiction works with the same title, “Descendants of Cain” by Arishima Takeo (1878-1923) and The Broken Commandment by Shimazaki Tōson (1872-1943), by addressing the issue of land reform in prewar North Korea and social discrimination in industrialized South Korea in 1960s, respectively. The theme of his novel, breaking taboos and obtaining freedom, distinguishes Hwang from his predecessors in the field of world literature studies. The term “influence” can be supplanted by the concept of “intertextuality” for transnational and transcultural comparative research. This study attempts to apply the term ‘intertextuality’ in order to prevent any misinterpretations of the concept of influence, particularly in relation to the potential hierarchy between influencing and influenced. By analyzing the texts of Hwang Sunwŏn, Arishima Takeo, and Shimazaki Tōson employing both close reading and distant reading techniques, we can gain insight into Hwang’s emphasis on taboo-breaking themes and his contribution to world literature studies. This article also emphasizes the importance of considering the format that Franco Moretti discusses in “Conjectures on World Literature.” Moretti suggests that modern novel is comprised of a triangle: “foreign plot; local characters; and then, local narrative voice” (65). “Local narrative voice” can be explained by Hwang Sunwŏn’s interest in the taboo motif. He continues to break the taboos and thematizes the issue of freedom versus ideology, and he further interrogates the problems of the legacy of Confucianism and newly adapted capitalism. His works are an example for the study of world literature of how the motif of violating taboos can function as a narrative tradition, demonstrating the boundless will of human freedom.

참고문헌 (Reference)

• 1 김효순, "황순원의 『카인의 후예』와 아리시마 다케오(有島武郞)의 『카인의 후예(カインの末裔)』에 나타난 ‘카인’ 표상" 한국비교문학회 (39) : 77-100, 2006
• 2 김윤식, "한국 근대문학사의 시선에서 본 『국민문학』" 24 : 5-28, 2008
• 3 정이화 ; 변영은, "토마스 만과 오스카 와일드: 『도리언 그레이의 초상』에 드러난 동성애와 예술의 역할" 한국동서비교문학학회 (55) : 209-229, 2021
• 4 김종회, "카인의 후예" 문학과지성사 539-575, 2006
• 5 황순원, "카인의 후예" 문학과지성사 2006
• 6 황순원, "일월" 문학과지성사 1990
• 7 김용규, "아래로부터의 세계문학: 카자노바의 『세계문학공화국』을 넘어" 한국비평이론학회 19 (19): 5-45, 2014
• 8 황순원, "시선집: 황순원전집 11" 문학과지성사 172-261, 1993
• 9 전현수, "동아시아의 농지개혁과 토지혁명" 서울대학교 출판문화원 187-234, 2014
• 10 김한성, "근대 국민국가 속 백정의 존재*: 『일월』(1964)의 『파계』(1906) 변주를 중심으로" 인문학 연구소 (2) : 21-41, 2018
• 11 有島武郞, "日本近代文學大系. 33, 有島武郞集" 角川書店 1970
• 12 김윤식, "小說文學" 小說文學同人會 202-219, 1986
• 13 Hwang, Sunwŏn, "The Descendants of Cain" East Gate Book 1997
• 14 Shimazaki, Tōson, "The Broken Commandment" University of Tokyo Press 1974
• 15 Hwang, Sunwŏn., "Sunlight, Moonlight" Si-sa-yong-o-sa, Inc 1990
• 16 Arishima, Taeko, "Modern Japanese Fiction" Greenwood Press 1975
• 17 Shimazaki, Tōson., "Hakai" Shinchosha 1973
• 18 Thornber, Karen Laura, "Empire of Texts in Motion: Chinese, Korean, and Taiwanese Transculturations of Japanese Literature" Harvard University Asia Center 2009
• 19 Kim, Youngmin., "Cultural Translation and World Literature in Korea" 54 : 89-106, 2017
• 20 Moretti, Franco, "Conjectures on World Literature" 1 : 54-68, 2000
• 21 Melas, Natalie, "All the Difference in the World: Postcoloniality and the Ends of Comparison" Stanford University Press 2007