조지훈 평전

들어가면서 ····························································································4
1. 출생과 성장 ···················································································13
2. ‘문장’지 통해 시단에 데뷔 ···························································21
3. 일제 말기 암흑 속에서 ·································································35
4. 해방공간의 시작과 문단 활동 ······················································51
5. 민족진영의 순수시 계열에서 ························································68
6. 종군작가단으로 6.25 참전 ···························································81
7. 전후 서울에서 문학에 전념하다 ·················································103
8. 술과 멋을 아는 풍류 문인 ·························································119
9. 격조 있는 유머·위트의 대가 ····················································128
10. 자유당 말기 의미 있는 활동 ····················································136
11. 자유당 말기의 짙은 어둠 속에서 ·············································149
12. 4월혁명의 불쏘시개 노릇 ·························································166
13. 4월혁명 직후의 논객활동(1) ····················································182
14. 4월혁명 직후의 논객활동(2) ····················································193
15. 박정희쿠데타 초기의 문필활동 ················································207
16. 군정비판 논설 쓰고 ‘민족문화연구소’ 소장 취임 ····················218
17. 혼란기 정국에 제시한 청신한 마중물 ······································234
18. 국학연구에 많은 업적 남기다 ··················································249
19. 한일 ‘굴욕회담’ 시기의 예리한 필봉 ·······································263
20. 선열 기리는 시문과 비문 지어 ················································280
21. 영면과 추모사업 ·······································································291
22. 평가와 기억 ··············································································308

이 “행동하는 양심” 테제에서 ‘행동’은 ‘양심’만큼 중요하다. 여기에다 메이는 “행동하지 않는 양심은 악의 편에 서는 지조란 것은 순일純一한 정신을 지키기 위한 불타는 신념이요. 눈물겨운 정성이며, 냉철한 확집이요. 고귀한 투쟁이기까지 하다. 지조가 교양인의 위의威儀를 위하여 얼마나 값지고 그것이 국민의 교화에 미치는 힘이 얼마나 크며 따라서 지조를 지키기 위한 괴로움이 얼마나 가혹한가를 헤아리는 사람들은 한나라의 지도자를 평가하는 기준으로써 먼저 그 지조의 강도를 살피려 한다. 지조가 없는 지도자는 믿음 수 없고 믿을 수 없는 지도자는 따를 수가 없기 때문이다.
자기의 영리만을 위하여 그 동지와 지지자와 추종자를 일조一朝에 함정에 빠뜨리고 달아나는 지조 없는 지도자의 무절제와 배신 앞에 우리는 얼마나 많이 실망하였는가. -지조론 중에서

조지훈은 이 허름한 집에 ‘방우산장放牛山莊’ 이란 고담한 이름을 지었다. 그는 ‘방우’라는 불교의 용어를 무척 좋아하였다. 오대산 월정사에서 지내던 시절 거처하던 방의 이름을 그렇게 불렀다고 한다.
문인은 누구라도 자신의 서재를 갖고 싶어 하겠지만, 조지훈은 특히 심했다. 물욕이나 권세욕 따위에는 눈길도 주지 않았던 청절한 선비였던 그는 유독 아담한 서재를 갖고 싶어 했다. 하지만 죽을 때까지 이 꿈은 이루어지지 않았다. 조지훈이 그리던 ‘서재’의 모습이다.

연대기적으로 1959년에 조지훈은 많은 활동을 하고 저술을 남겼다. 민권수호국민총연맹 등 활동 그리고 《시의 원리》개정판에 이어 제4시집 《역사 앞에서》와 수상집 《시와 인생》, 또 번역서 《채근담菜根潭》을 간행하였다. 재론이지만, 그의 본령은 문인이고, 문인 가운데서도 활동력이 있는 문인이다. 왕성한 필력으로 고금古今을 넘나들었다.