The purpose of this study is to observe the types and function of the poems inserted in a novel. In-fact, since the dawn of Korean literature, the poems(lyric styles) have been inserted in the narrative styles tale, myth, legend. In the case of Hyang-...
The purpose of this study is to observe the types and function of the poems inserted in a novel. In-fact, since the dawn of Korean literature, the poems(lyric styles) have been inserted in the narrative styles tale, myth, legend. In the case of Hyang-ka (old korean folksong), it can't be explained fully if we separate a poem from a tale. This fact is clear on the ground that the fourteen poems inserted in Samguk Yusa(Memorabillia of three Kingdoms) have the cause-tales without any exception.
In this study, observing the relation between Hyang-ka and tale. I would like to clarify the relation between a narrative style and a lyric one, reviewing the poems inserted in the modern novels.
First, in the case of Hyang-ka, a poem directly participates in forming a tale in a case, but in the other case, it has no deep relavance to a tale. “Seodong-yeo”, “Cheoyong-ka”, “Won-ka”belong to the former case and they can't have their function as a tale without the poem. In “Hyesung-ka”, “Dukan-ka”, “Woocheok-ka”, the poems have an occult power and finish the incidents of a tale. On the contrary, such tales as “Poong-yeo”, “Mojukjirang-ka”, “Changiparang-ka”, “Anmin-ka”show simply the cause for singing these poems, and have no direct role in forming the tales.
In the case of the modern novels, the styles of a poem-insertion are various, especially so are the inderting positions: the beginning, the middle, the end. The inserted poems are as follows: the established poet's poems, the character's poems, the writer's own poems. Chinese poems and foreign poems are quoted and inserted. Moreover, the world of folksongs, popular song. children's song and songs in the classical style are inserted.
Observing intensively Gwija Yang's “A Love of Thousands Years”, and Ilmoon Parks's “A Survival's Sorrow” which include the most poems among the novels. I find the fact that Namjo Kim's letter and 15 established Korean writers' poems are inserted in “A Love of Thousands Years”, but they don't take part directly in the process of events and that they are simply inserted for the readers to feel more emotionally. But I recognize that the poems inserted in “A Surrival's Sorrow” participate fairly in the process of events in the form of the characters' dialogues and letters. To describe the characters' personality, the writer creates some poems himself.
It is necessary for me to investigate the function of poetry in a novel through more works. The poems in Inseok Choi's Short Story. “On a Song”play a decisive role in converting the situation, and the poems in Wanseo Park's “My Last Possesion”have the function to express its theme suggestively.
Conclusively Speaking. I expect that, from now on, the study of this field be achieved extensively and become a precious material for the novelists' creative writing.