바로가기메뉴

본문 바로가기 주메뉴 바로가기

logo

  • KOREAN
  • P-ISSN1229-4632
  • E-ISSN2733-5925
  • KCI

The Literary World of Lillian Helman, the Iron-willed Woman-Liberalism and the Politics of power

Feminism and Korean Literature / Feminism and Korean Literature, (P)1229-4632; (E)2733-5925
2001, v.0 no.6, pp.288-321

Abstract

Lillian Hellman is considered as one of the great American woman dramatists. She is the feminist ideal woman, though she is not a feminist. She had an independent and active life during her life. Her refusal to live within the narrow boundary of traditional woman's life is impressive. This refusal to accept a traditional role made her personal life a subject of interest. People were fascinated by her love with Hammet and her fight against the Fascism and McCarthism. She maintained the liberal politics and fought against the Fascism and the extreme-right politicians. The Fascist and the McCarthist are the people who "eat the earth." Our responsibility against these rogues are important, because we should not "stand around and watch them eat the earth." In 1950s, Hellman had a hard time because her movie 'North Star' was blamed as pro-communist. The movie produced during the World War II showed the positive side of Russian people and supported Russia's fight against the Nazis. When the cold war ends, this movie and other anti-Fascist works were blamed. Many playwrights and directors in Hollywood were suspected of supporting communism. They were forced to confess their sins in front of HUAC, but Hellman refused to confess. She thought this process of confession was the attack upon the principle of American democracy. She fought for the idea of liberalism which is written down into her plays and her movies. To show the fight between good and bad, she showed the strong and iron-willed woman(bad or good) in her writings.

keywords

Feminism and Korean Literature