“Fever Sisters” in the artistic interpretation of Konstantin Balmont (based on the poems “The Spell of Twelve Girls” (1906) and “Thirteen Sisters” (1906))

Abstract

The relevance of the topic is determined by the growing interest in studying the interaction between literature and folklore, as well as the importance of analyzing transformations of traditional folk motifs in the works of Russian poets of the 20th century. The image of fevers in Slavic mythology represents one of the most enigmatic phenomena of folk culture, making it an attractive subject for research. The work of Konstantin Balmont, known for his unique interpretations of folk motifs, allows us to uncover new aspects of this theme. The novelty of the study lies in the analysis of a little-studied aspect of Balmont's creativity – his appeal to the image of fevers in the poems “Spell from Twelve Maidens” and “Thirteen Sisters”. The work aims to identify the specifics of adapting folk motifs in the poet's works, as well as to determine the role of these images in shaping his artistic world. The purpose of the research is to analyze the features of the transformation of the traditional image of fevers in the Balmont's work and to reveal the mechanisms of his interaction with folk beliefs. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: to study the historical and cultural contexts in which ideas about fevers were formed; to consider the role of folk records by I. P. Sakharov and A. N. Afanasyev in Balmont's work; to conduct a comparative analysis of the two specified poems in terms of their use of folk motifs; to determine the extent of influence of folk incantations on the poet's work. The study was conducted using the method of comprehensive text analysis, including historical-cultural, comparative, and structural-semantic approaches. Materials from the works of renowned folklorists such as I. P. Sakharov, A. N. Afanasyev, T. A. Agapkina, A. L. Toporkov, M. I. Maslova, etc., were utilized. Special attention was paid to the analysis of the structure and content of Balmont's poems, as well as the identification of characteristic traits of his individual style. The main conclusions are as follows: Balmont deeply delved into the essence of folk beliefs and skillfully adapted traditional motifs to his creative world while preserving their original essence. He created original interpretations of folk images, giving them new life and actualizing them within the context of his contemporary era. The image of fevers in his poetry acquires symbolic significance, reflecting deep processes of human interaction with higher forces and one's own culture. Prospects for further research are associated with an in-depth analysis of the interrelationships between literature and folklore in Russian culture of the 20th century, focusing on the work of Balmont. It is also necessary to continue working on identifying the mechanisms of transformation of folk motifs in the works of other representatives of Russian literature, which will allow creating a more complete picture of the interaction between literature and folklore in the history of national culture.

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