이 글은 해방 이후 한국문학 연구의 다양한 흐름 중에 한 흐름, 즉 사회․경제주의에 관심을 가지고 한국문학을 이해한 이명선에 대한 고찰을 목적으로 한다. 이명선은 초기 학문적 경향은 실증주의에 근거하지만, 1939년을 전후하여 사회주의에 경도된 진보진영의 민족주의로 학문적 방향을 선회한 것으로 보인다. 또한 해방 이후 이명선은 고전소설에 기반하여 반봉건․반외세적인 요인을 타파하는 데에 초점을 두면서 사회주의의 행동 강령에 입각하여 직접적인 실천을 강조한다. 이명선의 조선문학사는 철저하게 유물사관에 입각하여 씌어졌다. 그 양상은 네 가지로 나타난다. 첫째, 시대구분. 둘째, 서술체제. 셋째, 내용적인 면에서 대립관계를 설정한다는 점. 넷째, 종교를 상정한다는 점 등이 그것이다. 특히 시대구분에서 ‘고대의 원시문학-중세기의 봉건문학-조선문학의 근대화’로 나눈 것이나, 서술체계에서 세계사의 보편 속에서 한국문학을 바라보겠다는 점, 모든 문학 갈래를 대립 관계로 설정하는 점 등은 이명선이 의도적으로 유물사관을 적용시킨 예다. 조선문학사는 유물사관에 근거한 최초의 문학사라는 점, 당대의 실증주의를 넘어섰다는 점 등에서 일정한 의의를 갖는다. 하지만 분량이 적다는 점, 당시 같이 호흡했던 김태준․김재철 등의 이론을 배제했다는 점, 서구 이론을 직대입하면서 나타나는 문제 등은 일정한 한계로 지적할 수 있다.

This essay aims to research a Korean literature scholar, Lee Myong sun. He was interested in the Socialism as a historical view of literature. His attitude toward the way of studying literature is a sort of positivism. But he was inclined to Socialism around 1939 because of the influence of the progressive group. And also he stressed anti-feudalistic idea and resisted the power of foreign countries on researching Korean old literature. This means that researchers should follow social party platforms on studying Korean literature. The history of Korean literature was based on Socialism. The characteristics are as follows; division of history, structure of description, consideration of religion and antagonistic relationship between the upper and the lower class. The history of Korean literature is significant on two points. First, it is the first history of Korean literature based on the Socialism. Second, it is the book overcome positivism on studying literature. But there are several problems awaiting solutions. First, the volume of it is very thin, second, he excluded the theory of other researchers, third, it was received the western literary theory without critical attitude.

This essay aims to research a Korean literature scholar, Lee Myong sun. He was interested in the Socialism as a historical view of literature. His attitude toward the way of studying literature is a sort of positivism. But he was inclined to Socialism around 1939 because of the influence of the progressive group. And also he stressed anti-feudalistic idea and resisted the power of foreign countries on researching Korean old literature. This means that researchers should follow social party platforms on studying Korean literature. The history of Korean literature was based on Socialism. The characteristics are as follows; division of history, structure of description, consideration of religion and antagonistic relationship between the upper and the lower class. The history of Korean literature is significant on two points. First, it is the first history of Korean literature based on the Socialism. Second, it is the book overcome positivism on studying literature. But there are several problems awaiting solutions. First, the volume of it is very thin, second, he excluded the theory of other researchers, third, it was received the western literary theory without critical attitude.

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Lee Myong sun, The history of Korean literature, Socialism