『연애하는 여인들』에 나타난 '성'과 '일'의 문제 (The Question of ‘Sex’ and ‘Work’ in Women in Love)

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초록

로런스는 『연애하는 여인들』에서 근대성의 문제를 문명사적 지평 속에서 사유한다. 그것은 창조력이 고갈된 근대서구문명에 대한 심층적인 진단인바, 남녀관계과 남남관계를 통해 ‘성’과 ‘일’이라는 주제가 새로운 문명의 창조와 얼마나 밀접한 관련이 있는지를 보여주는 작업이다. 본고에서는 버킨과 어술라의 관계가 이룩한 일정한 성취가 근대 서구문명의 병폐를 극복하는 과정과 동일한 괘도에 있으며, 이러한 성취가 버킨과 제럴드의 관계진전으로 발전하지 못한 상황 자체가 근대문명을 바라보는 로런스의 암울한 전망임을 밝히고자 한다. 또한 버킨과 어술라의 관계가 새로운 문명의 창조에 이바지하기 위해서는 서구문명에서 일정한 이탈을 수반해야 할 것이고 그 이탈은 서구문명 바깥의 존재에 대한 새로운 인식으로 이어져야 할 것임을 강조하고자 한다.

영어초록

D. H. Lawrence thinks over the question of modernity on the horizon of the history of civilization in Women in Love. The main point of this question is how a creative power has been exhausted in the anti-life flow of capitalism and what effects this destructive result has on human relationship and labor.
Lawrence’s thinking reveals that the theme of ‘sex’ and ‘work’ is inseparably related with the creation of a new civilization. This paper aims to show that the achievement of Birkin-Ursula relationship takes the same trajectory as the process of overcoming maladies of modernity and that the failure of Birkin-Gerald relationship reflects Lawrence’s bleak outlook of western civilization.
Brikin and Ursula become estranged each other owing to disagreement presumably traced back to the sexual difference and at this critical moment, their encounters with other people have great effects on the advancement of their relationship.
To recognize the radical difference between their lover and other persons is essential in discovering ‘otherness’ of beings. Thus, their sexual relationship constitutes a mysterious experience amounting to the state where their world becomes deeper inward, keeping open outward. Of course, it is uncertain what relationship this “new One” will create with “some few other people”. Such people are difficult to find at least in this novel itself. Gudren and Loerke’s world is surrounded with ‘will to conquest’ and ‘frivolity’. The fact that Gerald with more sincerity meets his death reveals the possibility and limitation of his friendship with Birkin. That’s why Birkin’s search for a new civilization should include the breakaway from the old world and the heuristic recognition of beings hidden in the underside of western civilization.

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