결투 길들이기 ―스튜어트 시대 잉글랜드의 결투반대운동― (The Taming of the Duel ―The Anti · Duelling Campaign in Stuart England―)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 영국사학회
· 수록지 정보 : 영국연구 / 20호 / 125 ~ 156페이지
· 저자명 : 김중락

초록

16세기 말 잉글랜드 귀족들 간에는 명예를 위한 사적결투가 성행하였다. 귀족들에게 명예는 생명보다 귀중한 것으로 간주되었고 이를 지키기 위한 궁정예법이 만들어졌다. 궁정예법에 대한 위반은 명예법의 위반이었고 결투는 훼손된 명예를 지지키기 위한 노력이었다.
결투 문화가 등장하고 정착한 스튜어트 시기의 결투 길들이기는 주로 입법 활동과 국왕의 개인적인 노력에 맞추어져 있었다. 그러나 스튜어트 시기는 이러한 제한적인 노력조차도 실패하였다. 제임스 1세 시기나 찰스 2세 시기의 의회도 결투반대 입법을 논의 하였으나 대부분의 경우 법안토의 과정에서 중지되었다. 의원들은 동료 귀족과 신사들에게 가혹한 처벌을 내리기를 거부하였다. 입법을 통한 스튜어트의 결투 길들이기는 전적으로 실패로 끝이 났다.
스튜어트 시기의 일부 결투비판론자들은 명예와 형식적 예절 그 자체에 대한 비난을 제기하였다. 17세기는 모든 면에서 명예에 대한 새로운 접근이 수용되기에 설익은 배경을 지니고 있었다. 결국 17세기 결투 길들이기는 실패할 수밖에 없는 운명을 가진 프로그램이었던 것이다.

영어초록

The aim of this article is to examine why the anti-duelling campaign during the Stuart period failed to tame the duelling culture of the nobility and the gentry. The duel was not an isolated culture, but it was an aspect of the honour the English elite worshiped. The desire for honour was a central driving force for the upper class in seventeenth century. Therefore, the code of honour was perceived as the core of courtesy and civility. When the code of honour was broken, there was no other option but to make a challenge a duel.
The monarchs of the Stuart England lacked any determined mind against the duel, allowing it grow in the uncontrollable level. James I issued several proclamations against duel, but duelists in most cases were freed unpunished. Charles II saw the increasing popularity of duel at his court which was taken by the rake culture of the Restoration. He did virtually nothing against the duel except a couple of declarations. The necessity of a legal measure against the duel was discussed in both Jacobean and the Restoration Parliament. Several bills were debated, but they were unable to produce an act which might hinder their own privilege.
It is difficult to be sure that a strict act against the duel would have ended the dueling culture of Stuart England. A threat of legal punishment was no way to affect the duelists who risked even their lives for their honour. The opponents of duel therefore attempted to change the concept of honour. They attacked the very notion of courtesy on which the code of honour was built upon. A century was to be waited to have these concept accepted by all ranks of society. The logic of critics in Stuart England was poor, and the society, apart from the upper class, was not ready to discard the code of honour.

참고자료

· 없음