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ljwritesOkay, remember when I said I was going to read a paper about women's jealousy to find out more about the issue? Well I read that paper, called The Imagery and Meaning of the Jealous Wife in Written Stories (Korean link), and found one story unexpectedly awesome.
Of the stories from the Choseon era discussed in the paper, one that particularly struck me was The Story of Lady Shim. Lady Shim was so jealous that her husband, 18th century bureaucrat Cho Tae-eok, had never even dreamed of straying. However, he eventually became close to a courtesan where his brother was governor of Pyeongan Province. (The Pyeongan governor's office was in Pyeongyang, where the best courtesans used to be from. In modern times Pyeongyang is famous for considerably less pleasant reasons.)
When Lady Shim found out about the affair she was predictably enraged and set out to kill the courtesan. The Cho brothers were scared, but the courtesan said she had an idea and asked for money to adorn herself. Lady Shim and the courtesan ran into each other at a scenic location because, get this, evidently Shim was doing some sightseeing while on her murderous quest. Seeing the courtesan dressed to the nines, Lady Shim was so entranced by the other woman's beauty that not only did she abort her plan to murder her but approved of the relationship on the spot. Here are Lady Shim's words:
The husband and his brother were amazed and asked the courtesan how she'd done it. The courtesan replied that life and death were all a matter of luck and that she had trusted to fate. There was nothing she could do if Lady Shim had decided to go through with her intention, but there was a chance that the lady might take pity.
So let me get this straight, or not-so-straight as the case may be. The Story of Lady Shim basically boils down to:
That is a hell of a turnabout, I must say. Am I the only one who's reading a ton of subtext into it? I can just see it now, Lady Shim trying to ignore her own pangs of repressed sexuality by policing her husband's, and then meeting--play sappy Elvis Costello music--her. The most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. One who was a match in courage for her own fierce will. One willing to pay the ultimate price for her dalliance, but how could the proud lady extract it? Never, not when she understood her lord and husband so perfectly for once. No, she would not kill the woman. The grim ideal of monogamy had shattered, but in its ruins grew a dream. Proceed to hottest happy ending ever. XD
Of the stories from the Choseon era discussed in the paper, one that particularly struck me was The Story of Lady Shim. Lady Shim was so jealous that her husband, 18th century bureaucrat Cho Tae-eok, had never even dreamed of straying. However, he eventually became close to a courtesan where his brother was governor of Pyeongan Province. (The Pyeongan governor's office was in Pyeongyang, where the best courtesans used to be from. In modern times Pyeongyang is famous for considerably less pleasant reasons.)
When Lady Shim found out about the affair she was predictably enraged and set out to kill the courtesan. The Cho brothers were scared, but the courtesan said she had an idea and asked for money to adorn herself. Lady Shim and the courtesan ran into each other at a scenic location because, get this, evidently Shim was doing some sightseeing while on her murderous quest. Seeing the courtesan dressed to the nines, Lady Shim was so entranced by the other woman's beauty that not only did she abort her plan to murder her but approved of the relationship on the spot. Here are Lady Shim's words:
You are indeed an exquisite creature. A man would be no man to see you and not keep you near.
The husband and his brother were amazed and asked the courtesan how she'd done it. The courtesan replied that life and death were all a matter of luck and that she had trusted to fate. There was nothing she could do if Lady Shim had decided to go through with her intention, but there was a chance that the lady might take pity.
So let me get this straight, or not-so-straight as the case may be. The Story of Lady Shim basically boils down to:
SHIM: That man is doing what?! Imma cut a bitch. (Sets out for murder and tourism)
(sees courtesan)
SHIM: Girl, you so fine, you can have my man anytime.
That is a hell of a turnabout, I must say. Am I the only one who's reading a ton of subtext into it? I can just see it now, Lady Shim trying to ignore her own pangs of repressed sexuality by policing her husband's, and then meeting--play sappy Elvis Costello music--her. The most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. One who was a match in courage for her own fierce will. One willing to pay the ultimate price for her dalliance, but how could the proud lady extract it? Never, not when she understood her lord and husband so perfectly for once. No, she would not kill the woman. The grim ideal of monogamy had shattered, but in its ruins grew a dream. Proceed to hottest happy ending ever. XD
