Symbolism of numbers in the Circassian epic: one and two

Abstract

The article analyzes the nature of reflecting the symbolism of the number one and two in the poetics of historical and heroic epic. It is proved that they contain deep mythological roots, are the carrier of folk consciousness and mentality of ethnos, and have a clear reflection in the Adyghe folklore. To reveal the artistic forms of manifestation of these numbers on the material of historical and heroic songs and legends was the purpose of our work. To achieve the goal the following tasks were set: to analyze the texts of historical-heroic epic; to study the symbolism of the number “one” and “two” in its aesthetic plan; to trace the specificity of representation of the sacral basis of these numbers. The ideas of the Pythagorean philosophical doctrine of numbers were taken into account in the work. We support the theory of division of even and odd numbers, and attributing the former to the female sex, i. e. negative, and the latter to the male sex, i. e. positive. The study of the nature of artistic reflection of number symbolism in historical and heroic epic is important for the comprehensive study of folklore. This is the relevance of the chosen topic. The work is carried out using the structural-comparative method. The theoretical basis of the study was the works of domestic authors devoted to the study of the symbolism of numbers of the Adyghe cultural tradition. The main ideas of Z. Zh. Kudaeva and M. R. Hezheva are outlined and applied. The practical significance of the work consists in the fact that its results can be useful for specialists in the field of folkloristics, as well as for the circle of readers interested in folk traditional culture. The result of the work done is that number symbols turn out to be one of the ways of expressing moral ethnic consciousness. In the epic they are understood as means of artistic expression.

References

1. Kudaeva, Z. Zh. Paremiological genres of Adyghe folklore. Abstract of the thesis for the degree of Candidate of Philological Sciences. Moscow, 1986, 21 p. (In Rus.)

2. Khezheva, M. R. Semantics and symbolism of numbers in the Kabardino-Circassian language. Nalchik, Publ. Department of Institute of Humanitarian Research of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the RAS, 2017, 136 p. (In Rus.)

3. Khagozheeva, L. S. Numerical symbolism in the Adyghe epic. Vestnik KBIGI. 2022, no. 4-2, pp. 147–157. DOI: 10.31007/2306-5826-2022-4-2-2-55-147-157. (In Rus.)

4. Aliev, O. Symbolism of numbers in fairy tales: three, seven, forty. Studia Humanitatis. 2021, no. 1, pp. 155–166. (In Rus.)

5. Myths of the peoples of the world. Encyclopedia: in 2 vol. Vol. 2. Executive editor S. A. Tokarev. Moscow, Soviet Encyclopedia Publ., 1982, 719 p. (In Rus.)

6. Song about the Kurkuzhin Battle. In: Phonoarchive of the Institute of Humanitarian Studies of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the RAS. Inventory no. 563-f/5. Cassette 454. (In Adyghe)

7. Song about the Kurkuzhin Battle. In: Phonoarchive of the Institute of Humanitarian Studies of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the RAS. Inventory no. 561-f/2. Cassette 194. (In Adyghe)

8. Adyghe songs of the times of the Caucasian war. Edited by V. Kh. Kajarov. Nalchik, Pechatny dvor Publ., 2014, 656 p. (In Adyghe)

9. Folk songs and instrumental tunes of the Adygs: in 4 vol. Vol. 3. Part 2. V. Kh. Baragunov, Z. P. Kardangushev. Moscow, Sovetskii compozitor Publ., 1990, 485 p. (In Rus.)

10. Folk songs and instrumental tunes of the Adygs: in 4 vol. Vol. 3. Part 1. V. Kh. Baragunov, Z. P. Kardangushev. Moscow, Sovetskii compozitor Publ., 1986, 264 p. (In Rus.)

11. Khagozheeva, L. S. Adyghe feudal nobility on the materials of folklore. Nalchik, Print Center, 2019, 268 p. (In Rus.)

12. Song of the old Bor. In: Phonoarchive of the Institute of Humanitarian Research of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the RAS. Inventory no. 667-f/8. Cassette 606. (In Adyghe)

13. Taurikh Eshanoko Atabi. In: Phonoarchive of the Institute of Humanitarian Studies of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the RAS. Inventory no. 648-f/8. Cassette 229. (In Adyghe)

14. Khabar about Yeshanoko Ozermes and Temirkan. In: Phonoarchive of the Institute of Humanitarian Studies of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the RAS. Inventory no. 718-f/8. Cassette 838. (In Adyghe)

15. Kudayeva, Z. J. Motif of “duality” and the symbolism of “plant code” in Adyghe folklore. Vestnik of Adygeya State University. Series: Philology and Art History. 2017, iss. 4, pp. 172–176. (In Rus.)