Panteleimon Kulish’s symbolic imagery in comparison to the cristian and mythological archetypal symbolism (based on the story “granny from the other world”).

Abstract

Abstract. The paper focuses on the symbolic imagery of the P. Kulish's story “Granny from the other World” in the framework of its relation to the fairy tale / mythological and Christian word pictures. The research aims at identifying the symbolic images of the Kulish’s story in their comparison to Christian and mythological concepts while undertaking the images’ comparative semiotic and archetypal analysis. To achieve the purpose, we have applied the methodology composing of the methods of archetypal analysis, text and contextual interpretation analysis, elements of the structural-narrative, stylistic and comparative analysis. The major findings refer to the identification of the Kulish’s story symbolic imagery in its comparison to the fairy tale and Christian archetypal symbolism. The similarities between the images of the story and mythological world picture encompass the human soul metamorphosis into an animal or a bird based on totemic beliefs and mythological motif of the reincarnation; the images of mediators and loci of transition to another world, the inner “structure” of the other world and a boundary space between the worlds; images of the sacred trees significant for mythological consciousness of the Ukrainians. Some fairy-tale images are metaphorically reinterpreted within the framework of the Christian worldview. Correlative symbolic images differ in their archetypal basis rooted it either Christian or mythological world pictures. Figurative symbolism of Hell in Kulish's story matches Christian symbolic imagery in regards of the "mirror" iconicity, reproducing the "structural" similarity between the nature of sin and its resulting punishment.

A description of the symbolic images of the P. Kulish’s story contributes to the further study of the archetypally-bound belief system of the Ukrainians.