This paper attempts to analyze the characteristic themes and dramatic styles observed in Ha Yusang`s plays in the 1970`s. Ha Yu-Sang experimented with a variety of literary genres including theatrical dramas, novels, movie scenarios and radio/TV drama...
This paper attempts to analyze the characteristic themes and dramatic styles observed in Ha Yusang`s plays in the 1970`s. Ha Yu-Sang experimented with a variety of literary genres including theatrical dramas, novels, movie scenarios and radio/TV drama scripts. This spectrum of activities was carried on into the 1970`s, although his primary focus shifted to novels and theatrical dramas in the 1970`s from broadcast drama scripts in the 1960`s. In the first half of the 1970`s, Ha Yu-Sang explored a variety of subject matters in his works, showing more interest in the diverse spectrum of society than in the sociopolitical milieu of the period. Ggotsangyeo (1970) and Heaven and Earth(1972) deals with changes in social conventions, while Saengmyeongdongeu(1970), A Sad Talk (1970) and The Visitor (1971) focus on the lives of those who alienate themselves from their community because of poverty. The Wedding Anniversary(1970) is about the ups and downs of married life. Later, the playwright`s subject matters are further extended to Buddhism, with Karma(1971) being the first to reflect it. During this period, Ha Yusang also tries to diversify his dramatic styles. The multi-act play Ggotsangyeo and single-act plays Karma, The Wedding Anniversary and The Visitor are in the tradition of realism, whereas Heaven and Earth takes on an epic drama style. A Sad Talk and A Mad Woman`s Conversation with a Ghost are monodramas, and Heaven and Earth is a musical. Thus, the playwright made various attempts in the 1970`s to break away from the tradition of realism. This characteristic is hardly surprising given the general ambience of the dramatic community in Korea in the 1970`s, where post-realism had been on the rise since the 1960`s. Ha Yusang was one of the playwrights who tried to remain alert to and keep abreast of such changes in the world of drama and theater.