Slide 1ReadingsP’ansoriThe Song of a Faithful Wife, Ch’un-hyangSlide 5Ch’un-hyang’s dilemmaSlide 7Dream motiveDream motive-2RomanceCh’un-hyang’s ordealCh’un-hyang’s ordealHappy EndingThe Song of a Faithful Wife, Ch’un-hyangNovember 19, 2014EALC275Readings•Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong, p.49-89•Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong, , 241-289, 289-336P’ansori•Time: Chosŏn dynasty•P’ansori–Korean oral tradition originated in southwestern provinces–Performed by one singer and one drummer–Singer: narrates the story accompanied by singing–Interaction between the singer and the audiences–Associated with Korean national identityhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfGT-mN6ngwThe Song of a Faithful Wife, Ch’un-hyang•Written down in many different versions, both in han’gûl and classical Chinese, with different degrees of relationship to the oral tradition•Earliest datable version: a Chinese poem from the 18th century•Our version is set in Chosŏn dynasty during the reign of King Sukchong (1674-1720)•Kisaeng: professional female entertainers and prostitutes who served the official class•Fits the paradigm of Scholar and Beauty genre•Confucian (Neo-Confucian) value–demands for loyalty and filial piety–demands for female chastityCh’un-hyang’s dilemma•This story revolves around the dilemma of Ch’un-hyang’s ambiguous social status.•What decides her stats: her parentage, or her behavior?•How does a woman of mixed parentage prove her worth, in contrast with a man (Hong Kiltong)?•“A loyal subject cannot serve two kings, and a faithful wife cannot honor two husbands. I have read this in an old book. You are from a noble family, but I am a woman of the people. After we have plighted our troth, if you put me away because of my low birth, I shall nevertheless be bound to remain faithful to you, and have to spend the rest of my life grieving in a lonely room, and there will be no one to help me.” (272)Dream motive•Prophesy•Birth:–“Wol-mae dreamed that a fairy woman shining with all the colors of the rainbow came flying to her through the air, riding on a blue crane.[…] ‘I am the daughter of the Lo River. […] Because I dallied there, God was very angry with me and cast me down to the world; but I did not know where to go, and the mountain spirit of Turyu directed me to you.” (267-268)•Marriage: –“‘Dreams aren’t all pointless. Last night I dreamt that a fantastic green dragon was swimming in a lake surrounded by green-peach trees.’” (271)Dream motive-2•Prison: (297-299)–Dream of “HUANG-LING, SHRINE OF ALL FAITHFUL WOMEN”–What does this dream imply?–How did the prophet interpret the dream?Romance•Ch’un-hyang’s spring romance with Yi Mong-nyong•Connotation of sex: this version of the text includes very playful passages about their intimacy–Bell and a clapper (280)–Mortar and a pestle (280)–Peony flower that “seems half-way open after last night’s showers” (280)–the song about riding (283)Ch’un-hyang’s ordeal•The villain: the new governor –The villains of popular literature are often corrupt officials•What is the reason that Ch’un-hyang is being punished?•Her argument: for a woman to betray her husband is like a minister betraying his lord–Five relationshipsCh’un-hyang’s ordeal•The beating: she becomes a heroine through suffering–The interplay between virtue and suffering•What is the appeal of a scene of a beautiful woman tormented?•The beating described by a counting song (293-294)Happy Ending•Yi Mong-nyong takes first place in the exam and becomes the royal inspector•Mong-nyong disguises as a beggar–Why does he test her? Hasn’t she done enough?•Justice is restored and the lovers are reunited•Ch’yn-hyang becomes Mong-nyong’s legal wife–Does Ch’un-hyang’s story challenge the values of her society? Or confirm