노예제 담론과 여성의 글쓰기

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study aims at examining the anti-slavery discourse written by the early 19th-century women writers. Based on their own moral sensibility and Christian belief of non-Anglican Church, these early romantic women writers strongly advocated abolitionism and were involved in anti-slavery activities, such as writing pamphlets and joining anti-slavery groups. However, their writings have been ignored for a long time, overpowered by 'major' male writers of Romanticism. Thus this study tries to shed light on these women writers and discuss their importance in the literary history.
The study will discuss why the anti-slavery discourse was an important issue among the women writers. In the late 18th century, women were beginning to recognize their inferior social status and naturally identified themselves with the slaves. The French Revolution which emphasized equality of humankind had strong impact on them. Mary Wollstonecraft and Helen Maria Williams experienced the Revolution in France and put their experiences into the writing advocating the rights of women and the socially weak people.
Based on their religious belief, Hannah More and Ann Yearsley wrote poems attacking the slave trade. Their naive attitude toward Christianity, which tacitly approved slavery in spite of its belief in the equality of human beings, may be problematic. Their poems are significant, however, as an official beginning of antislavery discourse by women. Women poets' attack upon the slavery and advocation of the oppressed is further developed by poets such as Anna Barbauld, Helen Maria Williams and Amelia Opie.
On the other hand, Harriet Martineau wrote an anti-slavery novel "Demerara." As a popular pamphlet writer of the time, Martineau was influential in the antislavery movement of the United States. "Demerara," written as a part of John Stuart Mill's Illustrations of Political Economy contains a scientific and systematic criticism of slavery. "Demerara" puts the colonized West Indies into the foreground of the novel and enlists the reasons the slavery should be abolished. In addition to the touching story of the hardships of a slave family, she analyzes the disadvantages of slavery in terms of political economy.
Romantic women writers' anti-slavery writing ranging from poems to novel contains a distinctive voice different from that of male writers. Recognizing their social status inferior to men's, these women writers sought to correct the discrimination against them. Their concern about the socially oppressed people can be understood in this context. Though silenced as a radical voice and ignored as minor writers for a long time, women writers of the 19th century should be reilluminated from the postcolonial viewpoint. They provide valuable assets to Romanticism as a newly found voice resisting the social ills and upholding the silent others in society.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. 서론
• Ⅱ. 노예제와 여성
• Ⅲ. 여성시인들의 노예제 담론
• Ⅳ. 여성 소설가 마티노의 노예제 담론
• Ⅴ. 결론
• 인용문헌
• Abstract