The purpose of this research is focused on finding the roles and the charateristics of Halmi who played the important roles in Korean based-literature, in addition to studying how they are passed down and transformed. In the main chapters, by inspecting myths and literary documents, Gimosin (the god of ingenuity) was revealed as Halmi’s model and how the charateristics of Halmi have been embodied in play literature and story literature was discussed as well. Meanwhile, women-related literatures in the late Chosun Dynasty were surveyed in this research.
The materials discussed here were a mask play of Halmigwajang, Byulsingood in east sea of Talgood and a puppet show of Kkokdugaksiguiri in relation to the plays of Halmi. A narrative folk song of Kkodaekgaksi, Pansori of Byungangsuiga and a novel of a spinster, Kodokgaksi have been studied regarding the stories of Halmi.
The summary of this research is as follows. First of all, in the second chapter, by studying Halmi, Kkodugaksi and Halmi-related chinese characters , it was found out that these terms are based on the divine goddess and women’s power in the matriarchy system. In particular, an old lady (Nogu) which is associated with the Yongsin (the god of dragon) shamanism from Three Kingdoms to the early Koryeo Dynasty is related to a woman admiring Gimosin in that Yongsin is one of the gods of the earth. In the meantime, Gimosin Halmi, in the myths of Seolmoondaehalmang, Baridaegi and Danggumaegi is represented as the circulations of creation and destruction, desire and abundance, birth and death in the variations of natural changes.
The concept of Gimosin Halmi, however, was changed due to the emergence of Confucian man-centered society , resulting in a satirical figure of mean and negative woman, especially, in the late Chosun Dynasty. The reason is that disturbances of war and the changes of the successive order of property rights and social customs had great effects on women’s life and their thoughts in those days. Due to these changes, the charateristics of Halmi were handed down but at the same time variously transformed through the plays and stories of Halmi in the late Chosun Danasty.
In the third Chapter, it was shown that the charateristics of Halmi mentioned previously take the following several forms in play literature by investigating folk dramas of Halmigwajang, Talgood and Kkokdugaksiguiri. At first, the meeting of Halmi and Yeonggam( an old man) is connected with creation of the order of family and society, their departure leading to the confusing situation. Secondly, Halmi in the folk drama expresses herself her sexual desires and worldly ones without hesitation and these desires are related to abundance and fertility of the year. Thirdly, the characters in this play undergo death and rebirth, when Halmi and her children would largely pass away and sometimes, in other dramas Yeonggam would be that. Children’s death is particularly associated with agriculture and its customs in terms of Gimosin. Fourthly, shamanism in folk drama is represented as the subject of solutions and the social class of main character. After Halmi or Yoenggam’s death, a shaman prays for their rebirth by means of Good (shamanic ritual). In particular, Halmi in mask play could be characterized as a female shaman. On the other hand, these characteristics are differently found each in Halmigwajang, Talgood and Kkokdugaksiguiri, resulting from the differences of the showing groups, the enjoying groups and their views of the world
In the fourth chapter, how Halmi’s original model has been reflected in the story was studied. As a result of researching intensively the traits of female characters in a narrative folk song of Kkodaekgaksi, Pansori of Byungangsuiga and a novel of a spinster Kodokgaksi, the movemants and settlements of female main characters have been shown repeatedly in these stories. Compared with Kkodaekgaksi and Ongnyeo stricken to more misfortunes because of these repetitions, Kodokgaksi with Confucian morality would gradually have a happier life . This is the difference among female characters. Secondly, women’s desires are diversely represented in that Kkodaekgaksi’s desire is completely removed and Ongnyeo’s excessively sexual one is a little markedly expressed but Kodokgaksi’s is transplanted with Confucian morality. Thirdly, the concept of linear lapse of time is shown in epic literature, besides, the rebirth of main characters takes on realistically changed features in the text. Kkodaekgaksi after death is reborn in the play, conversely, a sterile Ongnyeo who is doomed to be a widow is not changed into a reproductive woman, only to be other-typed. Kodokgaksi after marriage is transferred from a liberal common to a lady with Confucian morality. Finally, shamanism in this epic literature plays not initiative but instrumental roles to solve the problems main characters are facing. The characteristics of female characters playing Halmi’s parts have a close connection with both showing groups and enjoying groups. The experiences of oral groups are intensified in Kkodaekgaksi handed down by mainly women. Confucian ideology is well shown in Byungangsuiga enjoyed by yangban (the noble clan). Enlightened intellectuals’ awareness that only Confucian morality will improve the reality of life is revealed in Kodokgaksi.
In the end, the literary significance of Halmi was studied diachronically and synchronically on these findings. Above all, in the diachronic respect, literary resources of Halmi and female main characters with similar personalities to Halmi’s were originated from Gimosin. The factors of creation and destruction, desire and abundance, death and rebirth shown in the myth are described humorously and sarcastically in legends and folktales. Meanwhile, the diverse forms of Gimosin have been found in story literature as well as play literature in the late Chosun Dynasty. This trend, especially during this period results from the advent of folk literature and people’s liberal thoughts. In the synchronical term, these plays and epics were thriving and influencing each other from the early 19th to the early and mid 20th century, further developing according to their traits. Story literature reflects the reality of life in those days because of its decline and change in a religious sense, in contrast to play literature focusing on the strong religious aspects. Also, the different views of Gimosin Halmi are shown according as who are involved in showing groups or enjoying groups in play literature and story literature. In other words, how the same objects would be changed according to sex, social classes and genre and how women would be characterized into other types in the course of the trend are shown in plays and stories of Halmi in the late Chosun Dynasty.
In conclusion, it was fully discussed how the original models of Halmi, Gimosin have been changed and developed in plays and stories in the literary respect. The characteristics of Gimosin are human’s, especially women’s natural tempers. It has been surveyed how these tempers would be changed in man-centered society in plays and stories of Gimosin. On one hand, the characteristics of Gimosin were partly passed down in play literature with a strong religious color, these characteristics, on the other hand, were removed, distorted and artificially made under the Confucian patriarchal system. These aspects could be found in literatures since then. Women’s desires were portrayed as positive or negative and good or evil. As a result, the productive representations of Gimosin were ignored. Gimosin Halmi needs to be remembered to discover the symbols of authentic femininity and to do research of literary works reflecting all of these.