Until now essay has not won the proper evaluation it deserves though, of which portion has never been outstripped by any other literature genre in the collection of contemporary Korean literature. Thereafter, strayed away from the central issue, it ha...
Until now essay has not won the proper evaluation it deserves though, of which portion has never been outstripped by any other literature genre in the collection of contemporary Korean literature. Thereafter, strayed away from the central issue, it has been dealt as the outside matter. The general acknowledgment on essay has also been developed along with the flow of Korean literature, but stays still in those of 1930's years. The writer starts the study with the question thought that it is caused from the pheonomenon that there has not been products by systematical study on the essay theories. Therefore it is the purpose of this thesis that essay be rightly positioned as one of the literature genres by systemizing the contemporary essay theories in Korea.
In the mean time, because studies on essay theories have been performed occasionally but most have stated repetitive observation with same words and have been nothing but simple theoretical researches, those studies have showed the limitation in the systemization of essay theory in Korea inevitably. Futhermore study on essay theory is efficient when theories connect with works. However, prior studies have not been performed in a harmonizing way. Therefore the writer will systemize the theories by scrutinizing the feature that various theories have been adopted at works and suggest the direction which essay take from now on.
The development process of the research is followed as, firstly, the writer sets the time period from 1930’s to present because, to meet the purpose of diagnosing essay in the present and persueing the rise of essay in the future, a systematic arrangement of the creation-development process of contemporary Korean essay theory is needed . In the first chapter, the research's objective, method and the examination of preceding researches are set. The second chapter abstracts the influence given to the Korean essay by Korean classical essay, other Eastern and Western counrtries' essay. It is made by observing the general definition and formation process of those essays. After considering the formation process of Korean essay , the writer regards this as the background of present essay theory's appearance. The third chapter divides essay's structural elements into 'genre theory', 'subject theory', 'form theory'. Each category of relating theorists will be examined diachronically. At the same time how their theories are applied through out their works will be studied. For example, the form theory of essay is designed to study theory on authors and works synthetically . The 'Genre theory' is simplified as 'aesthetic accommodating of super genre' and theorists under this "Genre theory" are Jin-seob Kim and Gwang-seob Kim for 'applying diverse literature genre', Jae-cheon Yun for 'extending the connections among literature genres', Jin-gwan Jung for 'creating the experimental writing techniques'. Next the 'Subject theory' is simplified as 'juxtaposition of lyricism and critical awareness'. Theorists under 'Subject theory' are Hwa Im for 'the organic combination of morality and thought', Tae-gil Kim for 'expression of consciousness about social subject', Baeg-il Jang for' philosophical signification of various material ', Yu-sik Lee for' groping ways through the change of subject'. Finally, 'Form theory' is simplified as 'an aesthetic expression of subject consciousness'. Theorists under 'Form theory' are Gi-rim Kim for 'the realization of critic consciousness through sensible rhetorics', Tae-jun Lee for 'configuration of characteristic and artistic writing style' Heug-gu Han for 'intention of lyrical expression techniques', O-yeong Yun for 'realization of the internal rhythm of significance and resonance', and Cheon-deuk Pi for 'precise structuring order among simpleness'.
The fourth chapter examines the future of essay. In the first paragraph, the critical points are examined with bisecting them by the form and content, which is needed to overcome errors found in the development process of essay theories. Second paragraph presents the moving trend of persueing ex-centrism and expending the field of essay as the alternative solution on the points at issue. The pages specifically discusse the solutions for the errors. It points out the problems of setting which has imposed limitation on the length of essay and the errors of already established essay theories which made a name, 'unformed literature' as the name of essay literature by the formality perspective. The solutions lead to creating fusion essay, introducing 'the point of view' and freeing essay's length setting. The content mainly discusses the 'argumentation on fictiveness'. Also, a suggestion is made to use the word 'imagination' instead of 'fiction' and reserches current position of essay which is expanding in diverse ways like 'essay on ecology' and 'essay on children'. On the basis of studies stated above, the writer examines that essay is being duely positioned as one of the regular literature genres in the history of Korean literature.