Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Note on the text
- Korean dynasties
- Glossary
- East Asia
- Principal places in works discussed
- Introduction
- 1 Language, forms, prosody, and themes
- 2 From oral to written literature
- 3 Hyangga
- 4 Silla writings in Chinese
- 5 Koryŏ songs
- 6 Koryŏ writings in Chinese
- 7 Early Chosŏn eulogies
- 8 Early Chosŏn sijo
- 9 Early Chosŏn kasa
- 10 Late Chosŏn sijo
- 11 Late Chosŏn kasa
- 12 Chosŏn poetry in Chinese
- 13 Chosŏn fiction in Chinese
- 14 Chosŏn fiction in Korean
- 15 P'ansori
- 16 Folk drama
- 17 Literary criticism
- 18 Early twentieth-century poetry
- 19 Early twentieth-century fiction by men
- 20 Early twentieth-century fiction by women
- 21 Late twentieth-century poetry by men
- 22 Late twentieth-century poetry by women
- 23 Late twentieth-century fiction by men
- 24 Late twentieth-century fiction by women
- 25 Literature of North Korea
- Bibliography
- Suggestions for further reading
- Index
18 - Early twentieth-century poetry
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Note on the text
- Korean dynasties
- Glossary
- East Asia
- Principal places in works discussed
- Introduction
- 1 Language, forms, prosody, and themes
- 2 From oral to written literature
- 3 Hyangga
- 4 Silla writings in Chinese
- 5 Koryŏ songs
- 6 Koryŏ writings in Chinese
- 7 Early Chosŏn eulogies
- 8 Early Chosŏn sijo
- 9 Early Chosŏn kasa
- 10 Late Chosŏn sijo
- 11 Late Chosŏn kasa
- 12 Chosŏn poetry in Chinese
- 13 Chosŏn fiction in Chinese
- 14 Chosŏn fiction in Korean
- 15 P'ansori
- 16 Folk drama
- 17 Literary criticism
- 18 Early twentieth-century poetry
- 19 Early twentieth-century fiction by men
- 20 Early twentieth-century fiction by women
- 21 Late twentieth-century poetry by men
- 22 Late twentieth-century poetry by women
- 23 Late twentieth-century fiction by men
- 24 Late twentieth-century fiction by women
- 25 Literature of North Korea
- Bibliography
- Suggestions for further reading
- Index
Summary
The act of inventing and reinventing literature in East Asia usually required a revaluation of the past. Inventing modern literature, however, required a radical revaluation of the past because its major stimulus came from outside. Never before in the history of East Asian literature had invention been forced by events of such urgency. This called for a rewriting of the past, a deconstruction of the established canon, and a formulation of a new one based on a new ideology to suit nationalist or other motives. The actual forging of modern literature in Korean began with the forced opening of the country to the outside world. It required the shaping of a new language (the vernacular style that corresponds to living speech), new literary genres, and a new theory of literature.
After foreign ships began to appear in numbers in the 1860s, Korea was compelled to open the country, first to Japan in 1876, then to America in 1882. Unlike other cases of invention or reinvention of canons, the invention of modern literature in Korea was prompted by unprecedented historical changes imposed by foreign powers: imposition of unequal treaties, political penetration and economic exploitation, and, finally, seizure of the country itself in 1910. From about 1880 to 1910, progressive officials and reform-minded intellectuals worked frantically on all fronts to learn from the West and Japan.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- A History of Korean Literature , pp. 336 - 389Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2003