The binary opposition of the mother/stepmother archetypes as the compositional foundation of Ivan Bahrianyi’s satirical comedy ‘General’ (1948).

Шовкопляс, Галина Євгенівна (2022) The binary opposition of the mother/stepmother archetypes as the compositional foundation of Ivan Bahrianyi’s satirical comedy ‘General’ (1948). Література та культура Полісся, 21 (107). pp. 32-41. ISSN 2520-6966

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Abstract

The article researches the functioning of the binary opposition of archetypal images of the mother and stepmother in the satirical comedy ‘General’ by Ukrainian writer Ivan Bahrianyi. This opposition creates the foundation of the comedy typical of Bahrianyi’s creative method: the line of borderline tension and the decision-making position between two principal decisions. This satirical comedy (written in 1944 and published in 1948) presents this tension in the choice between two homelands: a Ukrainian one and a soviet one. Bahrianyi creates this decision between two archetypal symbols: the Ukrainian mother and the soviet stepmother. The object of this research is made more relevant in the context of dissolving soviet myths: propagandist stalinist stereotypes of soviet heroism in the so-called Great Patriotic War (the distorted soviet narrative of WW2); the unconditional and boundless love of soviet citizens towards the artificially created and enforced “soviet homeland”. This research aims to analyze the archetypal images of the mother and stepmother, traditional to Ukrainian mentality as positive vs. negative ideals in satirical works. Bahrianyi creates these satirical polar ideals in his own unique way. He visualizes the archetypal image of Mother Ukraine as a Ukrainian woman past middle age, brave and wise. At the same time, the image of the stepmother has no visualization and is only perceived through the impressions and views of the play’s characters: they describe her as unkind, devoid of mercy, and cruel. The analysis takes into account the idea of national perception of these archetypes, which carry special weight to Bahrianyi as the author of the pamphlet titled ‘Why I don’t want to return to the USSR’. The pamphlet itself describes the so-called “soviet homeland” as a cruel stepmother. The novelty of the research lies specifically in the analysis of Bahrianyi’s dramaturgical work, as the writer’s plays are researched far less than his prose (such as Tiger trappers, published in English as ‘The Hunters and the Hunted’ and Hetman’s Garden). This satirical comedy has quite a complex structure that includes not only the written plot but also - the author’s notes and foreword. These latter elements establish the author’s demands and vision for the comedy’s theatrical implementation, as well as Bahrianyi’s political stance and his idealized vision of Ukraine’s future. Consequently, Bahrianyi’s plays are an integral part of his literary legacy and are vital to understanding his creative methods, aesthetical vision, and political views and identity. Research into the binary opposition of archetypal images goes beyond the traditional methods of literary analysis and is based on an interdisciplinary approach, taking into account the ideas of ethnology, ethnography, philosophy, and psychoanalysis.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	archetype; archetypal images; satirical negative ideal; binary opposition of images; compositional structure of the play.
Subjects:	Це архівна тематика Київського університету імені Бориса Грінченка > Статті у наукометричних базах > Index Copernicus Це архівна тематика Київського університету імені Бориса Грінченка > Статті у журналах > Фахові (входять до переліку фахових, затверджений МОН)
Divisions:	Це архівні підрозділи Київського університету імені Бориса Грінченка > Факультет української філології, культури і мистецтва > Кафедра світової літератури
Depositing User:	доцент Галина Євгенівна Шовкопляс
Date Deposited:	05 Apr 2023 07:13
Last Modified:	05 Apr 2023 07:13
URI:	https://elibrary.kubg.edu.ua/id/eprint/44600

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