The Character of Korean Literature
Korean literature is usually divided chronologically into classical and modern
periods with the great reforms late in the 19th century serving as the watershed
although the basis for such a division is still being questioned.
Korea's classical literature developed against the backdrop of traditional folk
beliefs of the Korean people; it was also influenced by Taoism, Confucianism,
and Buddhism. Among these, Buddhist influence held the greatest sway, followed
by enormous influences from Confucianism.
Modern literature of Korea, on the other hand, developed out of its contact
with Western culture, following the course of modernization. Not only Christian
thought, but also various artistic trends and influences were imported from
the West. As the "New Education" and the "National Language and Literature Movement"
developed, the Chinese writing system, which had traditionally represented the
culture of the dominant class, lost the sociocultural function it had previously
enjoyed. At the same time, the Korean script, Han-geul was being used more and
more frequently, resulting in the growth and development of Korean language
and literature studies. The "New Novels" (sinsoseol) movement produced
a surge of stories written in the Korean script. Music and classical poetry,
formerly fused together in what was called changgok, were now viewed
as separate endeavors. New paths opened up for the new literature. While Korea
was importing Western culture via Japan or China, it was also carrying out literary
reforms from within.
Linguistic expression and manner of transmission are issues of utmost importance
in the overall understanding of Korean literature. Korean literature extends
over a broad territory: literature recorded in Chinese; and literature written
in Han-geul. These two aspects of Korean literature greatly differ from
each other in terms of their literary forms and character.
Korean literature in Chinese was created when Chinese characters were brought
to Korea early in the Three Kingdoms period. In the Goryeo and Joseon cultures,
Chinese letters were central to Koreans' daily lives. We also cannot overlook
the fact that the literary activity of the dominant class was conducted in Chinese.
While Chinese-centered ideas and values are contained in this literature - feature
shared by most of East Asia during this period - it also contained experiences
and thought patterns that express the unique way of life of the Korean people.
The use of the Korean script began during the Joseon period with the invention
of the Korean alphabet (Hunminjeong-eum) in the 15th century. Compared
with the literature written in Chinese which was dominated by the upper classes,
Korean script made possible the broadening of the literary field to include
women and commoners. This expanded the social base of Korean writers and readers
alike. But the Korean script (Han-geul) assumed its place of importance
in Korean literature not until the latter half of the 19th century. After the
"enlightenment" period, the use of Chinese letters swiftly declined as the popularity
of Korean letters greatly increased. Ironically, the literary dominance of the
native Korean language was established during the Japanese colonial period when
the foreign rulers tried to suppress the use of Korean language and Han-geul. |