Interpretation of the key mythologems of Arthur legends within the novel series by Mary Stewart
Abstract
Manitskaya Ekaterina Olegovna
The article is devoted to the existence of myths in modern texts. As an example it was selected a series of novels about Merlin and King Arthur by British writer Mary Stewart, written in the twentieth century. In this novels, the author resorts to key mythologem of Arthurian myth, such as the sword Excalibur, the Holy Grail and the Round Table, turning them into symbols of pseudo-realities. Due to this the Sword and the Grail becom a Roman artifacts that Merlin is to give Arthur as real symbols of the power of predestination.
Excalibur in this case becomes a symbol of the reunification of the country on both the political and the religious aspect. Grail turns into an object of false pursuit, because the role he must fulfill is given to Arthur. Roundtable loses its symbolic meaning: the author finds a historical explanation for this mythologeme and assigns a place in the Round Knights of Arthur’s house, which is really able to accommodate more than a hundred people at once.
Thus, each of the myths in the text is not just a myth intended to make the myth-source recognizable, but also performs new functions ascribed by the author.
Key words: Arthur legends, mythologems, neomythologism, Mary Stewart.
References
Кельтская мифология: энциклопедия. М.: Эксмо, 2002.
Кереньи К., Юнг К.Г. Введение в сущность мифологии // Юнг К.Г. Душа и миф: шесть архетипов. Киев: Port-Royal, 1996.
Лосев А.Ф. Проблема символа и реалистическое искусство. М., 1976. Мортон А. Артуровский цикл и развитие феодального общества // Томас Мэлори. Смерть Артура. М., 1974.
Стюарт М. Полые холмы // Стюарт М. Хрустальный грот. Полые холмы. М.: АСТ, 2001.
Стюарт М. Последнее волшебство. М.: АСТ, 2001.
Стюарт М. Хрустальный грот // Стюарт М. Хрустальный грот. Полые холмы. М.: АСТ, 2001.
Meredith L. R. Word Choice and Word Concentration in Malory’s Works. L., 2007.
References
Kel’tskaya mifologiya: Entsiklopediya. M.: Eksmo, 2002.
Keren’i K., Yung K.G. Vvedenie v sushchnost’ mifologii / / Yung K. G. Dusha i mif: shest’ arkhetipov. Kiev: Port-Royal, 1996.
Losev A.F. Problema simvola i realisticheskoe iskusstvo. M., 1976.
Morton A. Arturovskii tsikl i razvitie feodal’nogo obshchestva / / Tomas Melori, Smert’ Artura. M., 1974.
Styuart M. Polye kholmy / / Styuart M. Khrustal’nyi grot. Polye kholmy. M.: AST, 2001.
Styuart M. Poslednee volshebstvo. M.: AST, 2001.
Styuart M. Khrustal’nyi grot / / Styuart M. Khrustal’nyi grot. Po-lye kholmy. M.: AST, 2001.
Meredith L. R. Word Choice and Word Concentration in Malory’s Works. L., 2007.
Downloads
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).