A Study on the concept of marriage through motifs in tales of ‘Tied in Wedlock’ in Korean Oral Literature

Universally, motifs and tales in oral literature reflect the ideas, values, ethics and worldviews of some people who have made the stories, so such stories as oral literature are quite conservative. These natures of oral literature can be great clues to see the perspectives and concepts of some people about something. This study is focused on motifs in tales of ‘Tied in Wedlock’ in Korean oral literature, especially, including motifs of metamorphosis - marriage between different species - marriage obstacle. These motifs tend to combine very well in many stories and it can also mean a tendency of the concept of marriage in Korean culture. In chapter 2, the metamorphosis motif alleviates the difference between brides and grooms in tales. It, however, can also deepen the difference between them so that they are finally separated forever. Therefore, the ‘metamorphosis motif’ plays a role in alleviating or deepening the differences between brides and grooms, and it is almost always accompanied by a ‘motif of marriage between different species’ in tales. In Chapter 3, I discuss the social code of marriage in Korean culture by focusing on the surrounding figures who are jealous, disturb protagonist couples or approve of their marriage. These figures in the ‘marriage obstacle motif’ symbolize the social code or standards of the Korean marriage culture. In this system, some couples are rejected without any acknowledgment as a formal married couple. For instance, couples without any permission of their parents and couples with some gap in any aspect like social status, property, appearance or knowledge. These two conditions are crucial in approving married couples in Korean society. In conclusion, brides and grooms have to share some similarities in their conditions or levels to marry each other and they also only can be approved as a married couple formally by their parents. Here the similarity means a kind of balance and approximated in some level between a couple. The parents’ power of approving children’s marriage makes a premise of their children immature, so children who are about to marry need to pass a rite of passage, where they have to show their ability and maturity to be adults who can be great spouses. This is why the combination of motifs with metamorphosis-marriage between different species-marriage obstacle works in tales of ‘Tied in Wedlock’ in Korean oral literature.