그간 계모설화에 대한 연구는 부분적이고 단편적인 논문이 몇 편 발표되었을뿐, 본격적이고도 전체적인 논의는 이루어지지 못하였다. 그러나 계모와 전실자식의 갈등을 중심으로 한 가정비극의 한 형태로서, 계모설화는 설화 향유자들에게 상당히 흥미 있고 공감이 가는 소재였음을 확인할 수 있다. 설화 자료집에서 계모설화에 속하는 설화 각편들은 상당히 많은 부분을 차지하고 있으며 유형화가 가능한, 다양한 서사를 지닌 각편들도 다수 발견된다. 그러나 계모설화에 대한 개념 정립, 자료의 정리, 유형의 분류 등과 같은 기초적인 작업이 미흡한 상태이며, 계모설화가 갖는 함의성과 의의 역시 적극적인 고찰이 필요하다. 계모설화 연구의 기초는, 미처 연구의 대상이 되지 못했던 설화 각편들의 모습을 드러내어 주는 일과 풍부한 설화 각편의 수집을 토대로 계모설화에 대한 거시적인 접근을 시도하는 일이 될 것이다. 더불어 계모설화 각편들이 지닌 독자적인 의미 역시 간과해서는 안 될 것이다. 본 논문은 이러한 취지 아래, 계모설화의 한 유형으로 볼 수 있는 ‘신방의 아들을 죽인 계모형’ 설화를 그 연구의 출발로 삼고자 한다. 계모설화의 기본 갈등 구조인 계모와 전실 자식의 갈등을 충격적으로 보여주면서, 동시에 계모와 며느리, 나아가 남편과의 갈등까지를 아우르는 다채로운 갈등 양상을 드러내는 이 설화는 계모설화의 여러 면을 동시에 살피기에 적절한 자료라고 본다. 또한 ‘사명당 출가담’과도 밀접한 관계를 맺고 있어서, 계모설화가 다른 설화 유형과 어떻게 접합점을 갖는가를 살펴볼 수도 있을 것이다. 그리고 논의의 일관성과 계모설화의 본질을 잘 드러낼 수 있도록 하기 위해서, 계모와 주변 인물들과의 갈등관계를 초점으로 삼고자 한다. 특히 ‘신방의 아들을 죽인 계모형’ 설화의 경우, 인물간의 갈등구조가 퍽 유용한 잣대로 작용할 수 있다. 끝으로 인물간의 갈등관계를 통해서, 계모와 더불어 본 설화에서 주요 인물로 부각되고 있는 며느리의 대비적 위상을 살펴볼 수도 있을 것이다.

The researcher unfolded the discussion by taking the narrative of type of stepmother who killed the son of Bridal room which is one type of narrative of stepmother type as an example on the premise that the premise prospect of stepmother type of the microscopic approach are necessary. As for the narrative of stepmotehr type who killed the son of Bridal room, the extence of each part was classified what has relation with the narrative entering the priesthood of Samyongdang and what is not son roughly. As the result that this researcher examined on tatal 21 parts, there were 13 parts in the former and 8 parts in the latter, and each part of 13 parts that the motive of Samyoungdang entering the priesthood appears was showing the narration unfolding to be formed with the motive of killing-stigma-purging-entering the priesthood, and each part of rest 7 parts was showing the narration unfolding to be formed with the motive of killing-stigma-purge, wandering-search-reunion. In considering the meaning of narrative of stepmother type in accordance with the structure of opposition and trouble among characters, it could be seen that narration progressed while daughter-in-law and father-in-law formed opposition structure indirectly in the direct trouble between the son of former wife and stepmother in the narrative of stepmother type who killed the son of Bridal room. In this case, it could be seen that the trouble between stepmother and the son of former wife corresponds to the feature of trouble that the narrative of stepmother type reveals and that such trouble structure became diversified all the more slowly as it was expanded while it formed social relation like the character outside home like sister-in-law(son-in-law). Besides, trouble with the father-in-law is what happened at the request outside the narrative of stepmother type as the phenomenon that this narrative was linked with Samyoundang. Thus, each part of 13 parts related with Samyoungdang was showing the aspect to be legend. But, distinction nature only this legend which is invisible in other legend of stepmother type was in the embossing of chatacterto just father-in-law in addition to the existence of sister-in-law. Apart from this meaning, this researcher studied symbolical meaning that this legend reveals through the characters to be stepmother and daughter-in-law. Then, the two have the character as a feamale master who came in from outside. And, stepmother failed in Initiation by the gushing of desire through deceit, whereas daugher-in-law failed in Initiation for the first time by being falsely accused of unjust woman, but she was succeeding in through the proof of purity of remote village by clearing herself of afalse accusation. Thus, it could be seen that this legend is showing is showing mutually contrastive between stepmother and daughter-in-law, that is, failed Initiation and succeeded Initiation and that such meaning is solidified all the more in each part of 7 parts to satisfy the end of 1-8 paragraphs. That is, daughter-in-law was showing the form to deserve a virtuous woman in the light of Confucian norm by receiving recognition from father-in-law to have family right through the performance of duty as daughter-in-law to be the purity of remote village and the continuance of family. With above, by taking the legend of stepmother type who killed the son of Bridal room as an example, this researcher clarified that the whole reconsideration of legend of stepmother type is necessary and the independent meaning per the lower type should not be overlooked in discussing the meaning of legend of stepmother type with the issue of classification. In addition, this researcher leaves the microscopic and macroscopic reconsideration for the other type legend of stepmother type in addition to the legend of stepmother type who killed the son of Bridal room as following subject.