이언 매큐언의 『솔라』에 나타난 정치·사회풍자 = Solar as Ian McEwan’s Social Satire

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This paper explores the moral failings of Michael Beard, the anti-hero of Ian McEwan’s Solar, to examine what the writer suggests by using satire as the novel’s genre. Nobel prize-winning physicist Beard represents the ruling class of the British government, having been tasked with the management and operation of the government’s institution for renewable energy. This paper argues that McEwan’s Solar satires the British ruling class by exposing Beard’s greed, self-interest, and determination to be held in high esteem no matter the cost. McEwan has already represented the moral weakness of the ruling class in his previous works, such as Amsterdam, Atonement, and Saturday. In addition, McEwan criticizes the British government’s policies regarding the climate change crisis in his representation of the Renewal Energy Center which Beard heads up. The study consists of three acts: the first part focuses on the failures of the scientific community which are connected to unscrupulous politic, iniquitous economic interests and who are blindly motivated by personal ambition, the second reveals Beard‘s epistemic condemnation of ‘the Other’ and unceasing moral decay, and the last predicts a tragic ending in which Beard will be made to atone for his immoral and wicked behavior. Therefore, this paper argues that Solar is a social satire which reveals prolific moral corruption running rife through the ranks of the British ruling class and a political leader utilizing the comical shortcomings of a greedy scientist.

국문 초록 (Abstract)

본 연구는 이언 매큐언의 『솔라』를 영국 지배층의 도덕적 결함을 폭로한 풍자소설로 읽는다. 『솔라』의 주인공 마이클 비어드는 이른 나이에 노벨 물리학상을 수상한 천재 과학자로서 소설 내내 작가의 조롱과 비웃음의 대상으로 재현된다. 그는 정부의 재생에너지 정책의 대리인이자 『솔라』의 시간적 배경인 토니 블레어 정부 시대의 기후변화 관련 정책의 수혜자로서 영국 사회지도층으로 그려진다. 『솔라』는 비어드의 재생에너지에 대한 이중적 태도와 도덕적 결함을 부각함으로써 당시 정부의 정책을 비판하고 기후변화를 정치 이념으로 소비하는 정치 지도자를 풍자한다. 비어드가 보여주는 성적·인종적·계급적 타자에 대한 혐오감은 오랜 세월 영국 사회의 균열과 갈등을 조장해온 편견이다. 매큐언은 『솔라』에서 비어드의 이기심, 오만, 그리고 독선을 폭로하면서 기후변화 대응을 포함해서 영국 사회의 진보를 가로막는 요인이 바로 지배계층의 도덕적 결함이라는 것을 보여준다.

참고문헌 (Reference)

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