The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong

The autobiographys of Lady Hyegyong Lady Hyegyong * Wife of the crown prince Sado (1735-1762) * Daughter-in-law of force Yongjo (1724-1776) * dumbfound of tabby Chongjo (1776-1800) * The crown princess and mother and grandmother of the kings in the fresh eighteenth century Korea * Cho discussion women (women in Cho news Korea 1392-1910) three lords perplex, husband, and son * Patrilocal marriage * fair sex writer The Memoirs * Hanjongnok Record Written in Silence * A serial publication of autobiographical narratives by Lady Hyegyong * 4 memoirs 1795, 1801, 1802, 1805 The first 3 memoirs history of her earlier life and her marriage into the royal family, and championing (in some cases defending her natural family. ) These memoirs atomic number 18 more personal, and overall three hangs a shadow the mint of her husband, Crown Prince Sado, who was executed in 1762. His reputation after his death little terrorens the couch of her offspring. **The fourth memoir story of her h usband Sado, the or so important wear round The memoir of 1795 * Genre Family direction The first memoir was written for the derive of her nephew, in conformity with the tradition of a family elder writing an injunction for the instruction of the younger members of the family, exhorting them to follow in the footsteps of honorable family elders. It contains a most poignant and endearing account of how the author, an innocent child of nine, was suddenly wrenched from her amiable home and put in a strange and awesome court. It is withal gives an intimate view of the princesss natal home, which was that of an exemplary Korean scholar. Defend the equity of her natal family, reclaim the honorable family tradition * The unspoken subjects of the first memoir With his exceptional talent and superior scholarship, Prince Sado would surely have achieved greatness. Of its own record, however, indisposition seeped into his remarkable nature andbegan to manifest itself in strange symptoms. 1. Her husbands insanity 2. Her husbands execution in the rice bosom On the thirteenth day, Heaven and Earth clashed and the sun and moon off black.When this calamity happened, how could I desire to live even one southward longer 3. The loss of her son * Silence The memoir of 1805 breaking the tranquillise * Chronicle the death of her husband at the hands of her father-in-law * Audience her grandson King Sunjo * Reason false versions has proliferated. She felt the need to express her grandson, the new king, the slender truth of the incident feeling that my descriptions might cast a blur on their virtue. But I cannot withhold the truth. * Genre writing a history * Seed of Trouble Absence of adore and guidance from the father 1. Model child in infancy 2. Live in a separate palace from his parents * Influence of servants * Sados interest in the mysterious and martial games As a heir to the throne, Shado was put under gigantic pressure to achieve and learn conformity by the stifling educational rituals of the royal family while, simultaneously, he was neglected by his coldly formal father, Yongjo, to such(prenominal) an extent that even an inside observer like Lady Hyegyong, steeped in the customs of the time, cannot hide her shock in the retelling.Let the ruler be a ruler, the subject a subject, the father a father, the son a son. * Father-son relationship is at the core of tragedy * some unknown forces appear to have been driving father and son apart. What can I charge this to but Heaven? Oh Cruelty * The coldness between them is beyond her cognizance * Fathers faults? * Favoritism * Not paying attention to his son * Humiliating his son in public * Using Sado to wash away inauspicious events * Sados insanity * Clothing Phobia For him to get dressed, I had to have ten, twenty, or even thirty sets of vestments laid out. He would then(prenominal) burn some, supposedly on behalf of some ghost or other. Even after this, if he managed to get int o a suit of clothes without incident, one had to count it as great luck. If, however, those serving him were to make the slightest error, he would not be able to put his clothes on, no subject area how hard he tried. In the process, people were hurt, even eraseed. -Paralyzing terror of existence able to live up to the expectations of propriety A serial sea wolf When anger grips me, I cannot contain myself. Only after I kill somethinga person, perhaps an animal, even a chickencan I calm down. why is that so? Because I am deeply hurt. Why are you so hurt? I am sad that your highness does not love me and terrified when you criticize me. All this turns to anger. - Sados rabidity became such a threat to the royal family that he had to be eliminated * Mothers choice * Lady Sonhui urged the King to eliminate Sado -Sundering her maternal love and crushing her parental attachment for the sake of great principle, Lady Sonhui had brought herself to inform his Majesty . The duty ov er private emotion * Fathers side * Political concerns 1. His own problem with legitimacy 2. Factional conflicts 3. Constant threat of rebellion 4. High hopes for his heir * The execution * In the royal earshot chamber, meanwhile, father and son faced each other. In between them in that location stood a wooden rice chest (measuring 4ft x 4ft x 4ft, we are told). It was opened, and Yongjo ordered his son to climb inside.Undoubtedly aware of what this meant, Sado did as his father told him. It was then sealed up. Eight days later, he died, still inside it. * Rationalizing the heavy-handed execution -Concerns over bodily dismemberment -Not to give the appearance of distressing execution * Lady Hyegyongs two traumas On her husbands execution * Inevitable and justified * Public duty > private feelings On the kings decree of making her son an adopted son of the late prince * Unnecessary and mind-baffling * Private feelings > public duty