Unyong Jon And Mujong Characters Analysis

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In both Unyong-jon and Mujong (The Heartless) the roles of the women characters serve as critical players for progression of the novels. From the novel Unyong-jon, the characters of Unyong can be compared to the character of Park Yong-ch’ae from Mujong. Due to the difference between the two novels time periods, the stories contrast sharply while similarly telling the story of relationships between the women characters and their lovers. By contrasting the two characters roles to each other, a comparison can be made as to how the time period played a significant factor in the outcome and actions of the women in each story. These women characters aid in the better understanding of their roles during the contrasting time periods of the two novels. …show more content…
The title alone of the story is Mujong, meaning “without emotion, without love, unfeeling, uncaring, lacking in compassion, heartless” (Lee, 57). This meaning very much sets the mood of a rather unhappy story, of someone who’s life is void of much emotion. The story begins with a woman named Park Yong-ch’ae reuniting with the male protagonist, Yi Hyong-sik after eight years of separation. Previously, Yong ch’ae’s father, Scholar Pak had been a father-like figure to Yi Hyong-sik, and had taught him at a school run by Scholar Pak. Scholar Pak had such a fondness for Hyong-sik, that he told Yong-ch’ae to marry Hyong-sik. However, Hyong-sik and Yong-ch’ae were soon separated when, due to a crime, Yong-ch’ae’s father and older brothers were sent to prison. In order to produce money to free her father and brothers from prison, Yong-ch’ae decided the most useful thing for her to do was to become a …show more content…
This can be compared to the ending of Unyong-jon, as the couple is reunited, despite their initial tragic deaths, in the after life. The same cannot be said for Hyong-sik and Yong-ch’ae as the story ends with Hyong-sik heads to the United States with Son-hyong and Yong-ch’ae leaves for Japan to study music with Kim Pyong-uk. These contrasting endings can be directly connected to the time period that each novel was written in, as the pre-modern text of Unyong-jon, fits in with the time periods expectations of a ‘happy

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