Mythological motifs in olonkho “Alandaaiy-Kulandaiy Bogatyr” by Ekaterina Ivanova

Abstract

In the article, using the example of the olonkho “Alandaaiy-Kulandaaiy Bogatyr” by Ekaterina Ivanova, the main mythological motifs that still remain outside the field of view of researchers are analyzed, and this is the relevance of the study. The purpose of the presented work is to analyze the mythological motifs in a separate olonkho text, determine their role in the plot of the epic and establish a connection with the mythology of the Sakha people. To achieve this goal, the study was based on comparative, structural-semantic and inductive methods, which together allow us to reveal the features and role of mythological motifs in constructing the plot of the analyzed olonkho. The study revealed that the olonkho “Alandaaiy-Kulandaaiy Bogatyr” by Ekaterina Ivanova is two-generation: if the first hero, the bogatyr Alandaaiy-Kulandaaiy, is a rejected descendant of the aiyy deities, settled by the celestial parents in the Middle World, then the second, his son Moluo Daadar already appears as a defender of the aiyy aimaga and uraanghai Sakha tribe. As a result of the study of mythological motifs, it was established that they underline the text of the olonkho, tying the fabric of the epic narrative into a single whole. The main mythological motif from the point of view of constructing the plot of the olonkho is the motif of the messenger-crane, who explains the origin of the hero and initiates a heroic military campaign, conditioned by the motif of matchmaking. All identified motifs of mythological origin are classified into five groups, in which the most common are the mythological motifs of werewolfism. It has been established that the metamorphoses of the characters are used to explain their ability to travel to the Upper and Lower Worlds, which, according to traditional ideas of the Sakha people, are inaccessible to an ordinary person. The ability of the hero Moluo Daadar to numerous metamorphoses is explained by his heroic training and training in magic. Thus, it was revealed that mythological motifs enrich the plot of the epic with mythological ideas well known to the epic audience, which makes the plot of the olonkho recognizable to listeners and contributes to its adequate perception.

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