In this blog post, we examine how Balzac’s ‘Cousin Pons’ constructs the mechanisms of evil through the reappearance of characters and detailed depictions of money within the context of the “human drama.” Balzac’s Grand Project and the Place of ‘Cousin Pons’ ‘Cousin Pons’ (1847) is one of the last completed works among the more than 200 novels and short...
Why was Meursault inevitably destined to become an outsider in society?
In this blog post, we will carefully explore, within the context of his life and the novel, how Meursault in Camus’s The Stranger was misunderstood and excluded in the face of tears, sunlight, and the social institution of the trial. Introduction Albert Camus’s The Stranger is a work that captivates us through the dazzling Mediterranean sunlight and the man—Meursault—who greets that...
If Mary hadn’t murdered her mother, would Charles Lamb’s literature have been different?
In this blog post, we’ll examine how Mary’s mental breakdown and the murder had a decisive impact on Charles Lamb’s life and essays, focusing on his poverty, family history, and literary transformation. When we reflect on the lives of writers or artists, we often find ourselves engaging in hypothetical speculation. We wonder: If Shakespeare hadn’t been driven out of his hometown, or if...
What are the three sources of Marxism, and why was it so threatening?
In this blog post, we will examine how the three components of Marxism—philosophy, economics, and socialism—combined to spark strong opposition from capitalism and the established academic community. Backlash Against Marxism and Its Historical Significance Marxism provoked strong hostility and aversion from bourgeois science, official academia, and liberal scholarship throughout the...
What was the hope for humanity that Luise Rinser spoke of?
In this blog post, we’ll explore how Luise Rinser—who lived through an era of war, loss, and suffering—viewed humanity and life. We’ll examine the faith and humanity embedded in her works, as well as the literary message of her determination to hold onto hope even in the face of despair. Linser, a female author who captivated the postwar younger generation with her so-called “Nina novels,”...
What is Lu Xun’s identity, and how does ‘The True Story of Ah Q’ reflect the reform of the national character?
In this blog post, we will analyze Lu Xun’s complex identity and the issue of national character reform as depicted in ‘The True Story of Ah Q’, while examining the core questions raised by his literature. Introduction Research on Lu Xun (魯迅) and his literature has been consistently conducted by numerous scholars from various perspectives. In particular, efforts to define his...
Was Lu Xun a revolutionary, or a writer who loved humanity?
In this blog post, we’ll explore the life and literary world of Lu Xun, a master of modern Chinese literature, and reflect on why he is remembered as a revolutionary while also being a writer who harbored deep compassion for humanity. If Hu Shi (胡適) is compared to Korea’s Choi Nam-seon in the history of modern Chinese literature, Lu Xun (魯迅) played a pioneering role in modern poetry and...
How Did Lu Xun Seek to Awaken the Chinese People?
In this blog post, we will examine Lu Xun’s literary transformation—through which he sought to awaken the ailing spirit of the Chinese people—and the satire found in his masterpiece, ‘The True Story of Ah Q’. Lu Xun’s Transformation and the Birth of ‘A Cry’ Lu Xun (1881–1936) grew up in affluence as a child in a family of minor landowners belonging to the literati...
Why Does Lorca’s “Han (Grief)” Recur in the Form of Images of Children and Death?
In this blog post, we examine how Lorca’s Andalusian “han” (grief) is linked to poetic mystery and political tragedy through the rituals of bullfighting and flamenco, as well as the symbols of children and death. The Poetic World of Lorca’s “Han” Lorca’s poetry and plays have been widely introduced in Korea. Not only have his poems been translated, but the play ‘Blood Wedding’...
How did Lawrence Sterne’s ‘Tristram Shandy’ break the mold of gentlemanly conduct and reveal a free spirit?
In this blog post, we explore how Lawrence Sterne and his masterpiece ‘Tristram Shandy’ used humor and candor to explore human fallibility and imperfection through the reader’s identification with the narrator, and why the work sparked such enthusiasm among European intellectuals of the time. The Writer with the Freest Spirit Lawrence Sterne (1713–1768), a vicar in a quiet...