The study on figuration of the son-in-law in the series Sohyeonseong-rok

This study focuses on figuration of the son-in-law in the series of Korean full-length novels Sohyeonseong-rok of the late 17th century, dividing the relationship between the in-laws and son-in-law in the family composition into four categories, and explored their respective meanings. In particular, this study examines cases where the son-in-law is alienated from or welcomed in relationships with the father-in-law, mother-in-law, and other sons-in-law, or where the son-in-law ignores his in-laws or the other sons-in-law. The son-in-law, like the daughter-in-law, as a new family member is often secretly alienated or ignored, and is often portrayed as an ugly or promiscuous person. By doing so, the family members attempt to reveal the superiority of their family and highlight their daughter’s qualities and personality. However, if the relationship between the son-in-law and his in-laws is good, the marital relationship is good, but if not, it was the daughter, or the wife, who experienced suffering, being caught between her family and spouse. The victim of the conflict between husband and in-laws was often a woman. In particular, So Woon-seong is an overconfident male character who acted violently against his wives. Meanwhile, there are cases where members of the son-in-law’s family are presented as evil or inferior people, or the son-in-law himself is presented as a negative character, such as in the case of Kim Hyun. In short, the narratives related to the "son-in-law" in Korean-style novels, including Sohyeonseong-rok, reflect the status of sons-in-law in the family or family composition, and the influence mainly impacted their wives, and the related conflicts and resolution strengthened the fun and vitality of the work.