A Comparative Study of Bandit Motif’s Novels: The Brigand Nikola Šuhaj and Im Kkeok-jung

This paper compares and analyzes two representative novels from Czech and Korean literature, both inspired by the motif of the righteous bandit. These works, written in the early 20th century, share a commonality in that they are based on the real facts of their respective regions, despite differences in their geographical scope. The authors are keenly aware of the social and economic conditions of specific regions, as well as the customs, the isolation of various social classes, and the conflicts between them. Based on these facts, they create mythical characters inspired by legends connected to the aspirations of the people. Both works incorporate legends, folktales, and beliefs passed down among the people of the time. While Im Kkeok-jeong presents a large volume of legends and folktales, showing an episodic narrative structure, The Brigand Nikola Šuhaj has a more organic structure. In terms of language, no one argue that both works are use undeniably beautiful and rich language. Not only do they incorporate the language of various social classes, but also archaic words and dialects, all of which enhance the artistic value of the works. Both works depict the realities of society at the time in a very realistic manner, revealing not only surface-level facts but also the pressing issues of the society through the motif of the righteous outlaw. They serve as a ‘social voice’, hoping to overcome social problems like poverty and discrimination. While the narrative in Hong Myung-hee's work emphasizes the theme of resistance, both works share a common feature in that they incorporate elements of historical figures and the hopes of the people to create legendary heroes, thereby embracing the folk narrative tradition.