A Study on the Subjective Lives of the Premodern Korean Women in the Viewpoint of Gender

한국 전근대 여성의 주체적 삶의 양상 고찰 - 젠더 연구적 관점을 중심으로 -

The ultimate goal of women's studies and feminist critics is to improve the understanding on women and recognize women's values. When we examine the Korean women's history on the viewpoint of gender, we can find that the gender role is not fixed. We do not have any proofs that there are any kinds of gaps between women and men in ability and temperament. All of women's identity and subjectivity in status and activities was not insignificant. Especially women's subjectivity in high social standing was superior. The women's activities in economic area were energetically. The productive activities were lively, too. The patrilineal decent is usual in Chana though China is in the same Confucianism cultural area. But patrilineal and matrilineal decent were popular used until the early days in Chosun Dynasty. Only sons can be inherited father's estate in China but it's not in our country. Also the patriarch had the economic power in family in China but the housewives had the power in ours. The feminism has been making efforts for the equality of sexes and the dismantling of the patriarchal sex role for a long time. Every feminist activities included feminist theory and cultural criticism has the goal to increase women's liberty and equality and change the world. This study to understand the historical substance of Korean women is on the way, too.