19세기 영국 소년 소설과 이상화된 ‘여성성’: 『톰 브라운의 학창시절』과 『에릭』을 중심으로

Abstract

The 19th century was the time when children’s fiction began to divide into boys’ stories and girls' novels. Because of this gender-based distinction, it is assumed that the characterization of boys was also clearly distinguished from that of girls. In portraying the ideal boyhood and manhood, however, traditional feminine characteristics were much emphasized. Focusing on Tom Brown’s Schooldays and Eric or Little by Little, this paper explores how 19th century British fiction for boys depicted ‘manliness’ as an ideal characteristic of British gentlemen, and this ‘manliness’ included the attributes of obedience, self-denial, humility and gentleness, which were also traditionally regarded as those of ‘angelic’ femininity. The main characters of the two novels, Tom and Eric―both strong and proud middle-upper class boys―need to learn the value of feminine attributes, and to become androgynous men in order to grow into ‘real’ British gentlemen. The emphasis on the moral aspects of manliness is related to the self-image of the British Empire, which sought to be ‘moral conqueror’ of the world. Thus, just as the influence of evangelical Christianity and the moral idealism of the British Empire diminished in line with its insecure status, the angelic characterization of manliness in boy characters and the emphasis on their moral aspects declined too, revealing that this image of ‘androgynous boy’ is another social construction of British Imperialism.