Earticle

초록

영어

This paper inquires into the aspects of violence and principles of thought which trigger such violence in Toni Morrison’s Beloved. As Morrison’s novel represents ambiguity of good and evil while it demonstrates explicit and implicit violence, this paper focuses on Sethe’s equivocal position as an assailant and a victim of violence. This paper first explores Sethe as the object of violence by two white masters, Mr. Garner and the School Teacher. The cruel violence toward her by the School Teacher is incurred by the dichotomous thought principle which underlies the institutional violence of slavery. Mr. Garner’s attitude toward violence and the underlying thought principle is elaborated upon in the light of the concept of ‘sheer thoughtlessness’ by Hannah Arendt. Meanwhile, the aspect of violence incurred by black community triggered by envy and anger is explored with the concepts of ‘intentional ignorance’ and ‘negligence’ by Thomas Aquinas. Next, Seth as the instigator of violence and her murder of Beloved is discussed. The thought principles underlying the violent act of the infanticide are dual: protection of Sethe’s freedom and subjectivity as a human being and rescue of Beloved from the future life as a slave. Through the analysis of the aspects of violence and the thought principles in Beloved, the paper ultimately argues that Morrison’s novel reexamines ethical dilemma which confronts humanity. The novel urges the reader to reevaluate the violence imbedded in dichotomous thinking, sheer thoughtlessness and intentional ignorance and negligence in thought, while continuing to “rememorying” and mourning as the last sentences in the novel resonate: “It was not a story to pass on. It was not a story to pass on. This is not a story to pass on.”

목차

I. 들어가며
 II. 제도적 폭력의 두 가지 양상: 인종주의라는 이분법적 사유원리와 순전한 무사유(無思惟)라는 사유 원리를 중심으로
 III. 흑인 공동체의 은밀한 폭력:의도적 무지(無知)라는 사유 원리를 중심으로
 IV. 폭력주체의 역전과 가해자로서의 세써:순진함과의 결별이라는 사유원리를 중심으로
 V. 나가며: 공동체적 사유원리와 계속되는 애도
 인용문헌
 Abstract

키워드

저자

• 김지은 [ Jiun Kim | 경희대학교 ]
• 조성란 [ Sungran Cho | 경희대학교 ]

참고문헌

발행기관

간행물

표지보기 관심저널 등록

• 간행물명

  영어영문학21 [English21]

• 간기

  계간

• pISSN

  1738-4052

• 수록기간

  1967~2025

• 등재여부

  KCI 등재

• 십진분류

  KDC 840 DDC 820