Is there a non-Western form of tragedy? This volume argues that the
Korean concept of han should be considered an Eastern tragic vision
which is gaining prominence in the West through the critically acclaimed
works of diasporic writers such as Nobel Prize-nominee Richard E. Kim,
Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, and Chang-rae Lee. Through close readings of the
works of leading Korean American authors, the book explicates the
philosophical, historical, and postcolonial roots of 'han' and its
distinctive aesthetics in contrast to classical Western tragedy. It then
examines how specific authors deploy this concept to portray the
cultural conditions of Asian Americans and offers powerful insights into
the interplay of cultural memory and aesthetics. Finally, the tragic
vision offers a counterpoint to many of the optimistic visions of social
change that underpin contemporary theories of ethnic or postcolonial
fiction and offers a critical perspective on foundational theoretical
assumptions.