근대 유럽의 ‘섬-유토피아’ 문학과 시민적 사회이상 (2)- 로빈슨 크루소의 무인도와 유토피아 타히티 - (‘Island-Utopia’ Literature of Modern Europe and the Bourgeois Ideal of the Society (2))

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 부산대학교 인문학연구소
· 수록지 정보 : 코기토 / 75권 / 99 ~ 126페이지
· 저자명 : 박민수

초록

18세기 초 영국 작가 디포의 『로빈슨 크루소』는 무인도란 이상적 공간을 설정하여 영국의 산업화를 주도한 시민계층의 생활양식을 유토피아적으로 묘사한 소설이었다. 이런 점에서 그의 소설은 르네상스 3대 유토피아 문학을 계승하는 섬-유토피아의 기획으로 해석될 수 있다. 디포 시대의 영국 시민 계급은 철저한 경제ㆍ정치적 자유주의와 개인주의를 실현하고자 했으며, 『로빈슨 크루소』는 당대 시민계급의 이런 소망을 표현했다. 그러나 시민적-자본주의 사회 전개에 무한한 신뢰를 보냈던 디포와 달리, 18세기 후반의 많은 시민 지식인들은 이 사회 체제가 지닌 모순과 억압성을 의식하기 시작했다. 18세기 말 부갱빌의 여행기에서 이상적으로 묘사된 타히티 섬은 루소주의적 자연 유토피아 사상과 맞물려 유럽 사회에 타히티 열풍을 일으켰다. 하지만 유토피아적으로 묘사된 타히티 상은 시민계급의 상실된 과거와 결부된 이상상태라는 점에서 이미 한계를 지닌 것이었다. 18세기 말 이후로 서양의 유토피아 관념과 기획은 시간-유토피아로 이행한다.

영어초록

Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe (1719) is the work that expresses the pursuit of economic and political emancipation of the 17th century bourgeoisie. This emancipation is associated with the maximization of satisfaction of individual citizens’ material desires. The realization of personal desires should not be restricted by such things as social order of hierarchy or faded manners and customs. The individual should believe the – newly interpreted – providence of God and improve life by exerting all capabilities of mind and body, and such efforts can realize material affluence and happiness as much as one likes. This is the message that Defoe intended to convey to the readers, and the desert island is the optimal space for this. Daniel Defoe had infinite confidence in the development of civil capitalist society, but in the late 18th century, the repression and contradiction of this system begins to be rapidly perceived. The great voyage and exploring expedition which Europeans began in the 15th century produced numerous travel literatures. The publication of travel literatures sharply increased in the 17th century and its popularity showed no sign of slowing down. These travel literatures – from Marco Polo until 17th century – were far from the reports which are true to the facts. Such travel literatures were prone to include fictional things and contents based on imagination besides what was directly seen or heard. In the travel literatures in those days, the authors’ desires for an unbridled, abundant life, a life free from hard work and coercion, and restoration from expulsion of paradise were reflected, and these were also the factors for fascinating the readers. The wishes that the medieval people projected on the world beyond the sea and their longing for the blessed island survived persistently in modern times as well. A Voyage Around the World (1771) by the French explorer Louis-Antoine Bougainville (1729-1811) encouraged the people in those days to have hopes that such wishes and longing could be found in reality. Tahiti which was first introduced in this book approached the Europeans as an existent blessed island, a utopia in reality. Bougainville said that the Tahitians lived a life not distorted by reason and civilization and a blissful life in nature intact. The Bougainville’s book of travel was a sensation in the European society. The readers were deeply moved by Tahiti, the existent Arcadia, and envied the ‘innocent’ way of life of the native Tahitians. Tahiti was admired by the writers and poets of Europe in the late 18th century as well. As time passed, however, this island was also found not to be able to become an existent utopia to the Europeans. Unlike Bacon’s thinking, human desires were not easily to be filled. As materials became abundant, desires also increased proportionately. European bourgeoisie in the 18th century imagined their blessed initial state in the life of Tahitians, but they themselves actually were the ones who could not adapt to the ways and conditions of living in this island.

참고자료

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