휘트먼, 타골, 한용운의 시에 나타난 나무의 정치적 이미저리

Abstract

The Poetry of Whitman, Tagore and Han yong-un demonstrates an analogy of the imagery of the tree in the context of political nationalism. The three poets hold 'as national bard' the common transcendental thoughts that constitutes the principle of universal oneness, equality and freedom of the individual. Having attained such truths from their own religion, namely, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism, they use the symbolic images of the tree as effective literary devices to illustrate them dramatically as political ideals and nationalistic patriotism. The trees in all of the poets' works are taken, thus, to represent the poetry as nationally dedicated literary testimony. Their poems call for revolutionary reform of social and political plights under the foreign powers, and for new definition of nationality, 'American Democracy' and liberty and independence of India and Korea. As far as Whitman's influence on Han is concerned there appears no evident proof that the former had any direct relationship with the latter. Neither is there any record that Han read Whitman's poetry in English version. It is remotely possible, however, to imagine that Han may have met Whitman by reading his poetry in Korean translation. And Han also may have read Whitman's works in Japanese translations of the contemporary Japanese literati who had great fervor for Whitman. The most influential man on Han is, above all, Tagore, the great Whitman-imitator, as evidenced by his poetic technique, especially in the political imageries of nature like the tree. Han also adopted Tagore's literature in the points of nationalism, religious devotion, and the poetic style of free verse founded by Whitman. Han was, in this respect, influenced by Whitman indirectly through Tagore, who served as intermediary linking American poet to the Korean poet. We may, thus, conclude the influential relationship of the three poets as the traditional comparative paradigm of the originator, transmitter, and receiver.