The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea / Edition 2

by JaHyun Kim Haboush, Dorothy Ko

Overview

Lady Hyegyong's memoirs, which recount the chilling murder of her husband by his father, form one of the best known and most popular classics of Korean literature. From 1795 until 1805 Lady Hyegyong composed this masterpiece, depicting a court life Shakespearean in its pathos, drama, and grandeur. Presented in its social, cultural, and historical contexts, this first complete English translation opens a door into a world teeming with conflicting passions, political intrigue, and the daily preoccupations of a deeply intelligent and articulate woman.

JaHyun Kim Haboush's accurate, fluid translation captures the intimate and expressive voice of this consummate storyteller. Reissued nearly twenty years after its initial publication with a new foreword by Dorothy Ko, The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong is a unique exploration of Korean selfhood and an extraordinary example of autobiography in the premodern era.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780520280489
Publisher:	University of California Press
Publication date:	09/14/2013
Edition description:	Second Edition, Reissue, With a New Foreword by Dorothy Ko
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	322,572
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

JaHyun Kim Haboush was Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures and History at the University of Illinois.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION
The Author and Autobiographical Discourse
Narrating Lives and the Sense of Self
The Genres
The Individual Memoirs: Themes and Issues
Texts

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE
PRINCIPAL PERSONS

THE MEMOIRS OF LADY HYEGYONG
The Memoir of 1795
The Memoir of 1801
The Memoir of 1802
The Memoir of 1803

APPENDIX 1: GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE YI ROYAL HOUSE
APPENDIX 2: GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE HONG FAMILY
APPENDIX 3: GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE KYONGJU KIM FAMILY

NOTES
GLOSSARY
INDEX

Editorial Reviews

Lady Hyegyong married Crown Prince Sado when they were both nine years old. The prince descended into violence and insanity in adulthood, and was killed by his father. Lady Hyegyong chose to live, and her son was later crowned king. She wrote the collected four memoirs in an attempt to weather the storms of political intrigue surrounding her. Contains introductory material, a glossary, and genealogical tables. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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