우렁각시 설화의 구조와 의미

The Study of the Structure and the Meaning in the Folktale of Snail bride

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&nbsp;&nbsp;In Korea there are a lot of folktales on a snail bride (a snail which changed into a young woman). This story is about a young farmer who got married to a snail bride. They loved each other, but soon they became unhappy. That is because the king of the country took his beautiful wife away by force.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;This is a meaningful folktale which is spread throughout in Korea. I have studied on the structures, the meaning, and the variations of this folktale.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;This folktale is composed of seven basic phase ① Starting- ② Meeting-③ Dining table(dinging together)- ④ Changing into a woman- ⑤ Presentation of taboos- ⑥ Marriage- ⑦ Ending.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;But it was found out that this folktale has ten types of variations and each has a little different meaning.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;The symbolic meaning of this folktale are stated as follows:<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;1. As a snail turned into a woman, it had a woman-oriented symbolic meaning.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;2. As a poor young man supposed his mother it symbolized filial piety.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;3. The powerful man who took away a bride was a symbol of corrupt officials.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;4. The taboo presented by a snail bride, saying it was not a proper moment, warned as follow. If the taboo were broken, one misfortune would come near.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;5. The snail bride offend the powerful with a bribe which caused her misfortune, became the bribe would mean the feminine honor.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;6. A bluebird on the story was a symbol of sorrow, and a fine-toothed bamboo comb symbolized female.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;7. The woman taken to the powerful changed her mind, excusing herself that it was all due to her mother-in-law.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;This kind of folktale are handed down in China and Japan as well as Korea.