식민지 말기 수필문학의 양상과 문학장의 변화 ― 최초의 수필 전문지『박문』을 중심으로

Abstract

This paper examines 박문(B'akmoon), the first magazine specialized in essay and the spread of essay in Joseon literary world at the end of 1930s through the relation with journalism of those days. Through this, this paper aims to clarify that as essay was actively written and circulated at the request of commercialized journalism, essay was developed as a literary genre and according to this, literary field changed at the end of 1930s. Various names designating similar type of writing began to be fixed as single name between late 1920s and early 1930s. Hereafter, literary magazines, all-around magazines, newspapers and etc. began to publish essays in full-scale and essays was spreading in 1930s. And the first magazine specialized in essay was born. This magazine was published by well-known publishing company B'akmoon Seogwan. The company published essays mainly and inserted advertisements of their publications in between them. It adapted the way of inserting the advertisements of their books between essays subscribers could easily read. The reason B'akmoon chose essays as its public relations magazine is because it did not take long time to write essay compared to novel, drama or poem. It was easy to ask writers and researchers to write essay and to receive essays from them. Other reason is that since readers could easily access and understand essay, the company could enhance the magazine's readability and accessibility Most important point is that essay was very close to advertisements of its publications such as book review, book report, preface, personal criticism, etc in the aspect that materials for and form of essay is free. Essay was most suitable genre when the publishing company wanted to dilute their intention of its advertisements while achieving results of advertising by arranging similar type of writings. Not only P'akmoon but most of media companies of late 1930s preferred and mass-produced essay. The characteristics of essay is in that specialist of academic world, doctor, lawyer and ordinary person could become essayist and this contributed to the expansion of authors in literature of those period. Group of specialists with knowledge of their fields, cultured persons with contemplative view on life and culture were incorporated into author group. The expansion of author group necessarily leads to the diversity of contents and materials of writings. This phenomenon could be called as ‘appropriation of culture through literature’. Ultimately, essay of late 1930s was developed with the request of journalism and this leaded to the expansion of author group in literature and changed literary filed of those period.