Abstract

This paper summarizes the aspect of grievance-resolution in Korean literature of the pre-modern period with the aim of asserting how Korean people of the traditional era recognized grievance-resolution and how they utilized it as a form of culture. The results are as follows: first, spirits harboring grievances perceived in pre-modern Korean literature have a strong will to resolve their grievances no matter what. Their resolution of grievances can be classified into interaction and blockage in a broad sense. Considering proportion, the grievance-resolution of interaction is relatively higher than the latter. Secondly, the grievance-resolution of interaction is to resolve grievances by receiving love or consolation, or by succeeding in indirect revenge through appeal. The grievance-resolution of blockage is deemed to resolve grievances by seeking the subject who causes grievance (mainly a person whom one admired but was denied) at all costs to harm the person, or by bringing about disaster to random people. Thirdly, female spirits harboring grievances have increased since the Joseon era. This aspect reflects that Joseon was a male-dominated society influenced by Confucian ideology. Their resolution of grievances can be criticized for tending to take place at the hands of powerful or virtuous men, or for having limits that are glorified within a male-violent ideology that emphasizes ‘yeollyeo(烈女), the lady of virtue and fidelity.’ The above are some of the Korean notions of grievance-resolution that can be found in traditional period literature.