Universal Myth as a Structural Element in the Works of Russian Writers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31150/ajshr.v6i6.3704Keywords:
Myth, Literature, Literary Interest in Myth, Creativity, Symbolists, MythologisationAbstract
This paper investigates the role and significance of myth as a structural element in Russian literature, with a particular focus on its transformation and reinterpretation from the 19th century through to the 21st century. Drawing upon both classical and contemporary sources, the study highlights how myth has served not only as a narrative foundation but also as a medium for cultural reflection and philosophical exploration. The integration of myth into literary texts has enabled Russian writers to address complex existential questions, articulate national identity, and critique socio-political developments. Particular emphasis is placed on the Symbolist movement, where poets such as Vyacheslav Ivanov and Andrei Bely adopted myth as a creative tool to synthesize pagan and Christian motifs, and to explore metaphysical themes. The analysis extends to postmodern and contemporary writers, such as Viktor Pelevin and Ludmila Ulitskaya, who employ authorial myths as frameworks for constructing alternative worldviews and for deconstructing prevailing ideological narratives. The research demonstrates that myths in Russian literature have evolved from static folkloric traditions into dynamic literary devices capable of conveying irony, parody, and intertextual commentary. Through close textual analysis, the paper illustrates how myth functions not merely as thematic content but as a structural and symbolic mechanism, shaping the aesthetic and ideological dimensions of literary production. Ultimately, the enduring appeal of myth in Russian literature reflects its adaptability and its capacity to resonate with readers across historical and cultural contexts.
References
[1] L. Dolgopolov, At the Turn of the Century: On Russian Literature of the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries. Leningrad, 1985.
[2] V. A. Pyanzina, «Authorial Myth as a Genre of Modern Literature», CyberLeninka, 2020, https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/avtorskiy-mif-kak-zharn-sovremennoy-literatury
[3] L. A. Mosionzhnik, «Eternal Returns to Myth: On the Russian Edition of Mircea Eliade’s „Myth of the Eternal Return“», CyberLeninka, 2020, https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/vechnye-vozvrascheniya-mifa-k-vyhodu-v-svet-na-russkom-yazyke-knigi-mirchi-eliade-mif-o-vechnom-vozvraschenii-arhetipy-i-povtoryaemost
[4] E. D. Mongush, «Functions of Literary-Mythological Imagery in the Prose of L. Petrushevskaya». http://www.dslib.net/russkaja-literatura/funkcii-literaturno-mifologicheskoj-obraznosti-v-proze-l-petrushevskoj.html
[5] I. Vinogradov, Gogol - Artist and Thinker: Christian Foundations of Worldview. Moscow, 2000.
[6] T. Pulatov, Life Description of a Rebellious Bukharan: Novel, Stories, Narratives. Moscow, 1980.
[7] E. M. Meletinsky, Myth and the Twentieth Century. Moscow, 1998.
[8] G. M. Torunova, «Mythology of the Sixtiers», в Literature of the «Third Wave» of Russian Emigration, Samara: Samara University Press, 1997.
[9] G. Shelogurova, «On the Interpretation of Myth in Russian Symbolism Literature», в From the History of Russian Realism of the Late 19th - Early 20th Centuries, A. G. Sokolov, Ред., Moscow: Moscow University Press, 1986.
[10] L. Zvonareva и V. Olbrykh, Outside the Crowd: Creativity and Fate of Writer Yuri Druzhnikov. Moscow, 2001.
[11] E. M. Meletinsky, Poetics of Myth. Moscow: Nauka, 1976.
[12] Poetry of the Symbolists. Moscow: Fiction Literature, 1998.
[13] O. V. Bogdanova, Pushkin - Our Everything: Postmodern Literature and Pushkin. St. Petersburg, 2009.
[14] J. Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Pantheon Books, 1949.
[15] M. Eliade, The Myth of the Eternal Return: Cosmos and History. Princeton University Press, 1954.
