Mythological basis of the motifs of transformation in the epic

Abstract

The article deals with the issue of changing mythological motifs of transformation in the epic using the Buryat heroic epic “Abai Geser”. The purpose of the research is to reveal the mythological origins of the motif of transformation in the epic. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the in-depth study of the epic is an important step in the national self-awareness of the people, as well as the insufficiency of studying the mythological origins of folklore works. We used comparative and reduction research methods. Among the other mythological motifs, the Buryat uliger “Abai Geser” reveals motifs of transformation that have their origin from the myths about the transition between worlds and the motifs of transformation. A typical example of traveling between worlds is the transformation of a girl into a bird: the girl Naran Gohon turns into a lark in order to be able to descend from heaven to earth. An example of a transformation that does not include a transition between worlds is the transformation of a bator into a bear. It has been established that part of the transformation motifs (“transformation of a Man into an Animal / Bird” and “transformation of a Man into a Plant”) is borrowed by the epic from myth in a practically unchanged form. At the same time, the text of the work identifies the motifs of transformation that have undergone demythologization: their mythological content is distorted and subordinated to the logic and tasks of the epic, however, the internal structure of such motifs remains unchanged compared to their functioning in the myth. Adaptation of the motif of the epic occurs to implement its compositional and poetic functions. Thus, in transforming a bator into a bear that saves Abai Geser, the image of a bear is intended to emphasize the strength necessary for the successful salvation of the hero. In the future, it is planned to deepen and expand the research on the material of the epic of the peoples of Siberia: the Buryat heroic epoic “Alamzhi Mergen young and his sister Aguy Gokhon”, the Yakut heroic epic “Mighty Er Sogotokh” and “Kys Debiliye” and the Khakass heroic epic “Ay-Huuchin”.

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