Seol jeo jeon (薛小姐傳 The Tale of Seol Sojeo) is a fictional work that centers around a female protagonist, Seol Sojeo who disguises herself as a man in order to get revenge on her father’s behalf. After she takes the civil service examination and is appointed to a government position, she finally avenges her father by taking down his enemy. Because it features a woman that ventures out from the domestic space and actively participates in the public sphere, Seol jeo jeon is classified as a work of female hero fiction. Unlike other works of female hero fiction, the female protagonist in Seol jeo jeon does not directly fight in battle nor does she possess any kind of awareness regarding gender. However, because it was created in the late seventeenth century (the early period in the history of classical Korean literature), it is significant in that it demonstrates the formative period for the female hero fiction as a literary genre.
Authorship
The author and original date of creation are both unknown, but the author is presumed to be a woman and the date of creation is estimated to be sometime around the late seventeenth century. “Okso” Gwon Seop (權燮, 1671-1759)’s collection of writings, Oksogo (玉所稿 The Writings of Okso) contains the story, Beon Seolgyeong jeon (翻薛卿傳 The Tale of Beon Seolgyeong) which is a translation of Seol gyeong jeon into classical Chinese. Seol gyeong jeon is the same work as Seol Sojeo jeon (薛小姐傳 The Tale of Seol Sojeo). As the work was translated in 1724 (in the eighteenth century), it can be presumed that Seol jeo jeon was originally written sometime before then—around the latter half of the seventeenth century.
Plot
During the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty in China, there was a man named Seol Munbaek who held a government position in the Ministry of Personnel. After he began his government position, he had a daughter named Wolae whose spirit was as excellent and outstanding as that of a hero’s. At the age of three, Wolae’s mother passes away. Her father does not remarry and Wolae, when she turns ten years old, starts to manage their household all on her own as efficiently and capably as an adult. One day, Choe Hun, a powerful man within the royal cart, sends a request to Seol Munbaek in order to arrange a marriage between Seol Wolae and his son. However, Seol Munbaek rejects this request and Choe Hun becomes spiteful and starts to harbor a desire for revenge. Afterwards, Choe Hun attempts to rape Lady Jeong, the wife of Confucian Scholar Yi Hyeon, but Lady Jeong escapes, managing to leave behind a letter written in her blood before she commits suicide. Upon hearing of Yi Hyeon’s circumstances, Seol Munbaek writes an appeal to the king calling for the punishment of Choe Hun. Choe Hun’s brother-in-law discovers Seol Munbaek’s plan and informs Choe Hun who proceeds to falsely accuse Seol Munbaek instead. Seol Munbaek is thus banished to the North Sea. Seol Wolae, now alone, is coerced by Choe Hun into marrying his son. She pretends to accept her fate, but instead sends her devoted maid in her place to get married. After the nuptials, she and her maid, Yeohwan, disguise themselves as men and escape to Cheongam Temple where Seol Wolae begins studying military strategies and the martial arts. One day, a person visits the temple and is impressed by Seol Wolae’s immense spirit and strength and recommends that she take the civil service examination. In order to clear her father’s name from the false charge, Seol Wolae changes her name to “Seolgyeong” and takes the civil service examination. After she places first in the examination, she sends a message to the king informing him of the situation between her father and Choe Hun. The king comes to learn the truth and thus banishes Choe Hun and extols the chastity and faithfulness of Madame Jeong, who committed suicide to protect her virtue. He also releases Seol Munbaek from his sentence of exile and decides to make Seol Wolae his son-in-law. Seol Wolae first goes to retrieve her father from his place of exile, and then proceeds to send a message to the emperor revealing her true identity as a woman and humbly begs for his forgiveness. The king is impressed by her and marries her to the crown prince while also promoting Seol Munbaek to a higher government position. Seol Wolae has eight boys and three girls and dies shortly after her husband passes away.