<엄씨효문청행록>의 악행 구조와 효의 윤리 - 최부인 서사를 중심으로

초록

This study examines the ‘Umsihyomuncheonghaenglok’ (30-vol. Nakseonjae edition) to analyze how the structure of transgressive acts and the ethics of filial piety(hyo) converge in the conclusion of the work to produce a void in moral judgment. While the novel ostensibly upholds Confucian ideals of filial duty and moral restoration, it simultaneously exposes the systemic imbalance that underlies its ethical framework. Previous studies have largely focused on the didactic realization of hyo as a moral virtue; in contrast, this paper reveals how the discourse of hyo functions as a mechanism that legitimizes unequal moral responsibility and stabilizes hierarchical order. The narrative of evil in ‘Umsihyomuncheonghaenglok’ is sustained through the separation of command and execution, in which moral and legal responsibility is transferred downward to subordinate figures. Lady Choi, as the originator of evil, avoids direct culpability, whereas the lower-class agents-such as servants, shamans, and retainers-are punished in her stead. Through this vertical displacement of blame, the narrative transforms moral accountability into a function of social rank. In the final stage of the story, the language of hyo operates as a higher moral discourse that resolves the imbalance without questioning its cause. The son Umyong’s admonitions aim to restore moral order but remain ineffective, while the adopted son Umchang’s act of forgiveness terminates ethical judgment itself. Thus, hyo ceases to be a moral practice and becomes the symbolic justification for absolution. Ultimately, ‘Umsihyomuncheonghaenglok’ illustrates how the Confucian language of filial piety conceals structural inequality and transforms moral discourse into an instrument of social preservation. By elucidating the intertwined structure of filial ethics and the transference of responsibility, this study critically reinterprets the institutional character of moral discourse in late Joseon aristocratic family novels.

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