This research paper had been planned and written with the intention to probe the establishing process of modern poetry-theory through argumentative writings, among major discussions held in Korea’s modern poetry history.
Existing poetry histories ha...
This research paper had been planned and written with the intention to probe the establishing process of modern poetry-theory through argumentative writings, among major discussions held in Korea’s modern poetry history.
Existing poetry histories have common limitation that statements are based on subjective judgment and they are mostly explanation on poets and their poems. Argument history written as discussion is the way to overcome this limitation. It is possible to investigate the essence of literature and write objective literary history by way of debate, discussing the efficacy and value of literature.
This research intends to explore the concept, format and function of poetry through argument, which is collision, the historical power of discussion.
Conflicting opinions meet each other in the argument. It is the beginning and foundation of development and creation. During the formation period of modern poetry, it had been debate, rather than argument, because each poetry-theory or argument between literary circles had not been formed yet. The necessity of criticism genre appeared when symbolism had been introduced and accommodated. As critics appear, criticism began to have the nature of argument. “Debate on new-wave-poetry” in early stage and “Debate on translated poetry” regarding “free translation and direct translation” had been early nd “Debat. “Debate on new-wave poetry” had been the first argument in Korean modern poetry history. The beginning point of discussion was “Between national nature and international nature, which one would be the base of national poetry in modern free verse?” The translation argument was the identity issue of translator and the value/efficacy of translated literature. It had been serious approach on literary nature.
In late 1920’s, proletarian literary circle supported “short narrative style poems” as national poem. On the other hand, national literary circle supported “Si-jo(時調)and folk song” as national poem. The ideological opposition in literary field went on around “Si-jo revival movement”.
Entering 1930’s, as literary circles of poetry had been formed and representative poetry-theory of each circle had been established, full scale argument had begun. The deduction of “theory of total poetics” through “Arts of Device controversy” was meaningful, because it showed the shape of certain developed result. Also, considering that “poem is an architecture built by language”, the interest on poem language shown during this controversy was meaningful, because it had suggested the answer to “how poetic language would be properly unified with balance in content and format?” through the autonomy of language and the fact that modern poetry-theory had been established for the first time. It became the transformation point to develop further to next stage discussion.
The case of poem collection “Eung-hyang(凝香)” was the peak of left and right opposition after release from Japanese annexation. The argument between left and right on poem collection “Eung-hyang” rigonfigured the literary world of South and North. The violent political ideology opposition between South and North resulted in the researance of Division Literature. Therefore, the beginning point for the discussion on creating Unification Literature would be also here.
“Pure or Participation argument” went on in full scale in 1960’s. This argument had comprehensive nature because emotional fights during previous arguments and causes of argument from misconception / misunderstanding / misreading / mistranslation had been all collectively gathered in this argument. There were more argumentative discussions on poetry during 20th century; however, it is possible to presume the cause and development of such arguments by looking into “Pure or Participation argument”.
Consequently, all poetry criticism discussions during 20th century can be concluded as discussion on modern nature of poetry. They are separation of poem and poet, formation of readers, appearance of professional critics and aesthetic autonomy of poetry.
This research paper is probing nature research, which intends to write the poetry history by discussion, more than simple argument history. It intends to write organized criticism history with those facts.