해적, 제국, 망명 —20세기 초 일본과 한국에 번역된 바이런의 『해적』(The Corsair) = Pirate, Empire, Exile —Lord Byron’s The Corsair Translated in Japan and Korea during the early 20th Century—

국문 초록 (Abstract)

이 글은 바이런의 『해적』(The Corsair, 1814)이 20세기 초 일본과 한국에 번역되고 수용되었던 정치적 맥락과 함의를 분석한다. 『해적』에서 『섬』(The Isle, 1823)에 이르는 바이런 시의 ‘해적’들은 때로는 억압적 사회의 이탈자들로, 때로는 적극적인 저항의 전사나 대안 사회의 개척자들로 그려져 있지만, 그 밑에는 ‘자유’를 향한 일관된 욕망이 흐르고 있었다. ‘낭만적 해적’으로 표상된 ‘야생의 자유’란 ‘문명적 자유’라는 식민주의적, 인종주의적 가치를 넘어 자유를 모든 인간과 생명의 본원적 욕망이자 권리로 간주하는 급진성을 띠었다(2장). 기무라 다카타로(木村鷹太郎)는 3국간섭 직후인 1895년 바이런의 ‘해적주의’를 힘이 곧 권리라는 강자의 권리 사상으로 해석하면서, 세계의 바다를 무력으로 제패한 제국주의 열강들과 강자의 압박에도 끝내 굴하지 않고 저항하는 ‘반란자’를 모두 ‘해적’에 비유했다. 그러나 러일전쟁기에 번역한 『海賊』(1905)에서는 ‘해적’을 일방적으로 제국주의적 팽창의 전위로 재해석하면서, ‘왜구’가 침략에서 ‘식민’으로 나아가지 못한 것을 애석하게 여겼다(3장). 최남선이 『소년』에 번역한 ｢해적가｣(1910.3)는, 안중근 의거(1909.10) 이후 급격히 악화되던 정세 속에서 독립전쟁 준비를 위해 망명을 결행한 안창호의 ｢거국시｣(1910.4) 및 이 시기 『소년』의 다른 글들과 함께 읽힐 수 있다. 험난한 삶과 죽음조차 감내하며 꺾이지 않는 마음으로 끝내 저항하는 해적/망명자의 형상은 기무라의 ‘반역적 강자주의’와 상통하면서도, 약자의 ‘메시아니즘’과 결합함으로써 힘의 논리로 환원되지 않는 보편성을 획득했다(4장).

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This article explores Lord Byron’s The Corsair: A Tale (1814) and its translation in Japan and Korea during the early 20th century, contextualized within their respective political landscapes. Byron’s poetic depictions were influenced by his encounters with Greek pirates under Ottoman rule, the Bounty incident in the South Pacific, and the Atlantic pirates associated with South America’s independence movements, blending these elements into his works. His portrayal of “pirates,” spanning from The Corsair to The Isle (1823), often portrays them as defectors from oppressive societies, active resistance fighters, or pioneers of alternative communities, all driven by an enduring quest for “freedom.” The concept of “savage freedom” embodied by the “romantic pirate” challenged conventional notions of freedom, rejecting colonial and racist values in favor of a more fundamental and universal human right.
In 1895, following the Triple Intervention, Kimura Takataro interpreted Byron’s pirate motif as embodying the principle of “Might is Right,” drawing parallels between imperialist powers dominating the seas through force and rebels resisting oppression. This interpretation mirrored Japan’s complex position in global history after the Sino-Japanese War, where it resisted Western imperialism while simultaneously aspiring to imperial ambitions of its own. As Japan’s national power grew, Kimura’s reading of Byron gradually shifted toward justifying imperialism, lamenting the decline of Japanese piracy as a missed opportunity for territorial expansion, exemplified in an essay of his 1905 translation 󰡔海賊󰡕 during the Russo-Japanese War.
In the early 1900s, Chinese and Korean intellectuals studying in Japan encountered Byron’s works through Kimura’s translations and biographical accounts, selectively embracing the rebellious spirit within. In China, figures like Liang Qichao celebrated Byron’s poems on Greece, which inspired resistance against oppression by contrasting past glories with contemporary humiliations of Greece. In Korea, Byron’s depictions of the sea and pirates found prominence in the pages of Sonyeon (Youth) magazine. Of particular significance was “Pirate Song” (1910.3), a translation of Kimura’s “海賊,” specifically stanza 1 of Canto 1. This poem resonated with Ahn Chang-ho’s “Geo-guk-si” (Exile Poem, 1910.4), crafted in response to the worsening circumstances following Ahn Jung-geun’s assassination of Ito Hirobumi in October 1909. Published alongside other works in Sonyeon during this period, these writings portrayed pirates and exiles as resilient figures who confronted adversity with unwavering determination, even in the face of death. This portrayal aligned with Kimura’s rebellious ideals but also incorporated a subtle messianic element, seeking a universal significance beyond mere power dynamics. It transcended the narrative of Korea’s colonial redemption, evolving into a broader mission for achieving universal justice through enduring trials and advocating for the marginalized. The messianic hope for a future free from colonial oppression was symbolized by pirates navigating treacherous seas, embodying resilience amidst adversity.