MOTIVES OF NATURE AS A MEANS OF NOMINATION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MOTHER OF GOD IN THE WORKS OF POLISH LITERATURE

Abstract

In many works of fiction, the connection of the Mother of God with the natural world is pointed out, which is due to the influence of the mythological worldview on traditional religious ideas about the Virgin Mary. The article demonstrates how the indicated peculiarity reveals itself in the choice of the names of the Blessed Virgin, and studies the role of the nature motifs in creating Her image in Polish literature. Folk legends (The Queen of Heaven. Folk legends about the Mother of God edited by M. Gawalewicz and P. Stachiewicz), works of medieval religious literature (apocrypha of the 15th century The Przemyśl Meditation and the Marian hymns) and fiction created in different periods (poetry books Songs Sung to Oneself by K. Benisławska, Song of My Christ and Marian Hymns by R. Brandstaetter, poetry by M. Sęp Szarzyński, T. Lenartowicz, W. Gomulicki, C.K. Norwid, K.K. Baczyński) are analyzed in detail. The names related to the natural world are classified according to the standard of comparison: Saint Mary is compared with flowers and trees, celestial bodies, precious stones, and birds. The article explores how the choice of names reveals the author’s intention. Thus, flowers are designed to illustrate Her beauty, nobility, and purity, trees - majesty and power, birds - chastity and simplicity, the sun and the moon - uniqueness and inaccessibility, and the morning star - hope for salvation. It shows how the ancient and biblical symbolism is actualized in the names and how the original names give the image a national flavor. Based on the material, a conclusion is made about the continuity of the tradition of perceiving the Mother of God as part of the natural world.