MYTHOPOETIC BASIS OF ARTISTIC WORKS BY BOŽENA NĚMCOVA

Abstract

The object of the paper is the reception of Slavic mythology in some artistic works by Božena Němcova – the outstanding Czech authoress. Her interest to national suit; language; folklore; history etc. was connected first of all with main feature of modern for her epoch – National Czech Revival. The process of growing activity in straggle for national liberty in the community and artistic cognition of the specificity of national character in literature were caused by this National Revival. Aim of the article – to discover and study the role of mythopoetic motives; images; symbols in artistic works of the Czech authoress of the XIX century and to research their role and place in the artistic system of these works; in expression with their help of authorial conception of man and reality. Main attention is concentrated on such stories as „Carla” and „Wild Bara”. This stories have common genre nature (a sharp turn of plot before denouement is the sign of novella); their central personages are similar (both; Karla and Bara are enigmatic for environment); there are common plot motives in the stories. Most important speciality of each story is the connection of plot and composition structure with myth about Achilles („Karla”) or myth about the theft of a child by natural bad fair („Wild Bara”). Taking under consideration the thesis about the connection of wedding ritual with Cosmogony process in mythology systems; author of the paper interpret these stories as artistic works about initiation (death in one quality and birth in new).