Abstract
The article is devoted to the Freudian term melancholia, which is widely used in psychoanalysis, gender studies and postcolonial studies, and is also applied to diaspora studies. Scholars link diasporic melancholia with the traumatic experience of diaspora history and loss of the homeland, which is thought of as an ideal abstraction. At the same time, in studies of Korean-Americans’ literature, the word han is often used instead of the term ‘melancholia’, despite the fact that the scholars cite works by Freud and Judith Butler. Han is a Korean politically and culturally labeled term of emotion which denotes a combination of rage, sadness and despair. The meaning of han as a collective emotional state was not developed until the colonial period (1910–1945), however, this meaning became essential in South Korea, where it is used in the doctrine of some Christian churches (as so-called minjung theology) and in the realm of art. Among Korean-Americans han also became a popular concept in literary autobiographies and academic papers. In these works, han is interpreted as an inherent emotion which defines ethnic and cultural identity. Even for the second generation han carries inexpungible remains of memory of the lost homeland, and this interferes with assimilation into American society.
Published Version
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