본고는 시의 삼요소(三要素)통하여 야은(冶隱) 길재(吉再: 1353∼1419)가 무엇을 지향하고 있는가는 고찰하는 것을 목표로 하였다. 야은은 1363년 냉산(冷山) 도리사(桃李寺)에서 처음 글을 배운 이래, 1370년 박분(朴賁)에게, 그 뒤 이색(李穡)・정몽주(鄭夢周)・권근(權近) 등의 문하에서 학문을 익혔다. 현재 남아 있는 시를 두고 볼 때, 야은이 시를 지어주었거나 시를 받은 사람은 그 당시 조정에서 벼슬한 이들이었다. 이는 그가 어렸을 때부터 충효를 몸소 실천한 것과 무관하지 않다. 그의 시에 나타난 음악성은 잔잔하면서도 산뜻하다. 그의 시에는 조용하면서도 욕심 없이 살아가려는 그의 지향의식이 녹아 있다. 그의 시에서는 회화성이 언뜻 보면 그다지 나타나지 않는다. 그러나 한층 깊이 보면, 마치 한 폭의 동양화를 보는 것 같은 느낌이 든다. 그의 시에 나타난 회화성은 대부분 화려하거나 웅장하지 않고, 소박하면서도 차분하다. 이는 곧 그의 지향의시의 반영이라 할 수 있다. 시의 분위기 역시 활기차거나 역동적인 것이 없다. 그의 시에는 차분하면서 조용하고, 침울하면서도 어두운 분위기가 대부분을 차지하고 있다. 특히 그가 10대에 지은 시나, 치사(致仕)하고 난 뒤에 지은 시는 조용하면서 차분하다. 그의 시를 두고 볼 때 그의 성격이 한정(閑靜)·다정(多情)하였다. 음악성·회화성·분위기를 통하여 볼 때, 소박하면서도 조용히 자신의 본분을 다하려 한 것이 그의 지향의식이었다. 이는 그의 시의 풍격이 대부분 청일(淸逸)·청신(淸新)·소산(蕭散)한 것과 무관하지 않다. 소산한 풍격은 전형적인 선비들의 시에서 많이 보인다. 따라서 그의 궁극적인 지향의식은 전형적인 선비의 자세를 견지(堅持)하는 것이었다.
This article is utterly written to focus on Yaeun GilJae (1353~1419)’s works, how his poems have developed and to discover the meaning of his poems. In addition, to look at his oriented-consciousness. According to the structure of Yaeun’s poems that are remained today, it is clearly shown that his personality was neither impulsive nor strong. By contrast, his personality was soft, warm and he had so much affection. Looking at his three poems through main three features, he did not only focus on rhythm but also dialogue and atmosphere. He expressed his oriented will strongly through three main features of poetry. Firstly, looking at rhythmic part, works of his were written in Geunche style - it means that the style was a new style of writing a poetry. Furthermore, the rule of it was strongly restricted. Thus, there is no doubt to say that his works had a rhythm. The reason that his works had a rhythm is that the new style had to fit together with the different tones of rhyme. Moreover, the harmony of a phrase or a stanza (Characteristics that are pronounced in Chinese). Therefore, in his poets, the characteristics of writing style has shown his lyrical state of mentality. Secondly, looking at pictorial features, he applied pictorial perspective on his poetry and pitch to enhance the atmosphere and the meaning in his poems. Ego through objects, acknowledge nature and understand the principle of nature, he pursued (he was seeking for a natural life) a natural life. Thirdly, looking at the atmosphere of poems, Yaeun’s poem’s energy was not significantly excited or did not lose its direction. According to the energy of his poems, it is firmly shown that he was having fortitudinous attitude of being an erudite. However, most of his poems had an energy that was relaxed, soft and warm. To conclude, looking at the meaning of his poem and his orientedconsciousness, he had an idea that God and man are united. Moreover, he was approaching to his consciousness through the practice of staying in poverty. But, he enjoyed life and he was seeking for humanity. His appearance and personality seemed like decent and calm. However, throughout his poems, it is noticeable that his mind was broad and awaken.