earticle

영어

The folk tale, 「A Fairy and a Woodcutter」 is a familiar story that we have heard for a very long time, the synopsis of which is simple. That is ‘A good woodcutter saved a deer's life and was rewarded with a marriage to a fairy and even went to heaven to live a happy life.’ Of course, these simple contents are not all. There are also cases ending with basic contents, there are also cases, the denotation of which is extended by adding or deleting specific motif. The folk tale, 「A Fairy and a Woodcutter」which appear to be succeeded on a nationwide scale reaches to about 140 pieces of the materials only included in various legendry. The folk tale, 「A Fairy and a Woodcutter」is a source of various stories with fantastic aspects. However, since it was confined in a big frame of Confucian society, in order to maintain their regime and to strengthen the frame of their idea, the aspect that the class with power has illusional fantasy was not being magnified too. There are also some parts where ethical aspects are emphasized. The folk tale, 「A Fairy and a Woodcutter」 appeared frequently until modern times, circulated continuously to be transferred in various area in our country. It can be understood that cultivation and settlement and the appearance of Confucian familism are reflected in detail here. Cultural characteristic related to these social background can express the hope for stability and peace through the appearance of fantastic existence, a fairy. In addition, signs of people's lives not only praying for safety in cultivation and abundance in harvest, but freeing themselves from disease appear as a phenomena of fantastic existence. The reason why a fairy descended to the world can be presumed symbolically like this. The subject matter called the fairy is the imagination and transcendence created between heaven and earth. It can also be called a mixture of places. Works that are transformed modernistically are seeking various exchanges with others. Especially, the figure of contemplation of mutual coexistence with human beings and harmony with nature can be continuously found in the transmitted works. It also shows in detail the meaning of true communication and the realization of true affection. This can be interpreted as reflecting the psychology of the modern public craving for the true affection. In addition, the existence of 'a fairy and a woodcutter' does not exist as the protagonist of love story but brings about expansion of various stories surrounding it. Especially, it is very meaningful in that there are various realities shown in Korean society. In addition, the fairy is not only depicted in the work as a fantastic existence, but she plays her role fairly as a woman with an independent mind.

한국어

「선녀와 나무꾼」 설화는 우리가 아주 오래전부터 들어온 익숙한 이야기로 그 줄거리는 내용은 단순하다. ‘착한 나무꾼이 사슴의 목숨을 구해주어서, 그 보답으로 선녀와 결혼을 하고 하늘에까지 올라가 행복하게 살았다.’는 내용이다. 이러한 기본 내용에 특정 모티프가 첨삭되어 외연이 확대되는 경우도 있다. 「선녀와 나무꾼」 설화는 환상적인 면모를 지닌 다양한 스토리의 원천이다. 다만 유교사회라는 큰 틀 속에서 갇혀서 집권층이 그들의 체재 유지와 이념의 틀을 견고히 하기 위해 환상성의 측면이 크게 부각되지 못한 점도 있다. 유교에 의한 가족주의의 모습이 상세히 반영되어 있다. 또한 사회 배경과 관련된 문화적 특성은 안정과 평화에 대한 희망을 ‘선녀’라는 환상적 존재의 출현에 의해 표출할 수 있다. 또한 농경의 안전과 수확물의 풍요(豊饒)를 빌며, 질병으로부터 벗어나려는 사람들의 삶의 징표가 환상적 존재로의 현상으로 나타난다. 현대적으로 변용한 작품들은 타자(他者)와의 다양한 교류를 모색하고 있다. 인간과의 상생(相生)을 고민하고 자연과의 조화를 이루는 모습은 전승된 작품속에서 지속적으로 찾을 수 있다. 또한 진정한 소통의 의미와 참된 애정의 구현을 상세히 보여주고 있다. 특히 한국사회에서 보여주는 다양한 현실을 그리고 있다는 점에서 매우 의미가 있다. 아울러 선녀는 단순히 환상적인 존재로만 작품에서 그려지는 것이 아니라 독립심(獨立心)을 지닌 여성으로 자신의 역할을 당당히 수행한다.