"The Song of Ch’un-hyang, is also the most widely performed and best-loved example of Korea’s indigenous p’ansori narrative drama, wrapping a stunning indictment of the corruption of Korea’s elites within a compelling tale of romantic love, heroism, and fidelity" (you chin-han p.74). W
hen it first appeared it was in the 18th century. This was usually performed on an open stage most likely outside, during the 20th century. p'ansori was influenced by social changes that took place during chosen dynasty, this was around the time when confucianism was being spread and adopted. Choson confucianism focused on males having power in society and favored over women. This story attacks the ruling elite and the class system of there society. (you chin-han p.75)
The story The Song of Ch'un-hyang is set in cholla province, which tells the story of Ch'un-hyang who is a daughter of a aristocrat father and kisaeng (female entertainer) mother. There is also Master Yi Mong-ryong who is the son of a magistrate. They are both betrothed to each other. While Master yi is gone to test for a civil servant, ch'un-hyang vowed faithfulness to him. The new magistrate wants to make her into his concubine but she goes against him and doesn't follow his orders. So see was punished by getting beat close to death. In the end Master Yi passes the exam and goes back for ch'un-hyang.
Hey Timothy! I liked that you touched upon the theme of misuse of power and objectifying women in society. I personally had a bit of trouble following your analysis of the passage you used. What if you next time try to insert bits and pieces of the quotation, and then put your explanation along with it. For example, when she says " A subject cannot serve two kings, and a wife cannot belong to two husbands" shows us that she strongly believes that it's wrong for her to commit to this demand. Also, what if instead of using the sentence "the magistrate likes her" and say something along the lines of "he was infatuated with her" because saying "likes her" is too simplistic in my point of view. I also didn't understand how Ch'un-hyang's beliefs illustrate the issues in society. What if you had maybe included the unfair treatment she received from the magistrate and also include how the crowd reacted, then it would give more weight to the idea that there are issues with "the elite class power and their relationship with the commom people."
ReplyDeleteHi Timothy, you've picked an interesting passage, and perceive the relationship Ch'un-hyang makes between subject/wife and ruler/husband. We're all learning how to do this kind of literary analysis. So here's what I would like to see in future Close Reading b log posts:
ReplyDeleteIn Close Reading, you are going through a short passage more than once, digging in to understand and make inferences about an author's meaning in the passage. Here's how to approach it. You are analyzing a passage in order to help you USE that passage in expressing an idea you have about its significance:
First Read: Get the General Idea
* When and where does the passage take place?
* What do you know about the character(s) in the passage?
* Can you retell what's happening in your own words?
Second Read: Dig a Little Deeper
* From what point of view is the story being told?
* What interesting words and phrases is the author using?
* How is dialogue used in this passage to further the story?
* How is the passage structured?
Third Read: Put it All Together
* What inferences can you make from your understanding of the passage?
*What is the theme or message of the passage?
* How does the theme of the passage relate to the theme(s) in the rest of the reading?
* How does it relate to other stories you've read, or to other stories from this time/culture/author?
* Describe how the word/ideas of the passage lead you to your conclusion about the significance of the passage?
Hi Timothy,
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started reading the story I didn't quite understand until I went back and reread the introduction. Ch'un-hyang grew up with a mother who was an "entertainer" as they called it which in a way the ties her with being one. Ch'un-hyang shows a lot of loyalty because she is a married woman and you can see how she was beaten for disobeying and being loyal to her husband. She even says in the story, "A subject cannot serve two kings, and a wife cannot belong to two husbands: that is my principle. I would rather die than do as you say, however many times you ask me" (The Song of Ch'un-hyang 82). Overall, I enjoyed reading your post.