THE DUALITY IN PROSPER MÉRIMÉE’S STORY «LOKIS»
Journal Title: Проблеми сучасного літературознавства - Year 2015, Vol 0, Issue 21
Abstract
The article is devoted to the investigation of such phenomenon as duality: it’s archetype model and it’s artistic sense in story by well-known writer of Romantic epoch in France as Prosper Mérimée. The constructive function of duality in «Lokis» was studied on several levels: system of heroes, plot motives, semantic oppositions, composition etc. Among main reasons for appearing of motive of the duality in Prosper Mérimée’s story are: author’s interest in Slavic mythology (the hero is totem beast’s son) and to the secrets of human psyche. This motive strengthens narration tension by forming of horror atmosphere too. Mainly the duality in «Lokis» was studied in the context of the categories «mythopoetic» and «unconscious». The purpose was to prove the thesis about the duality of hero’s nature which consists of «white» and «black» parts. The possibility of mythopoetic interpretation of «Lokis» is connected with the elements of the totem myth in it. They are connected with the episode of thefts of hero’s mother by a bear during a hunt. Mythopoetic interpretation confirms by the analysis of the appearance of the hero (primarily his sight that scares), his behavior (in the dream hero talks about blood, screams and bites a pillow, and in the daytime he talks about the desire to understand whose blood is better-his bride or horses). He is treated as the beast by his mother who is afraid and hate him at the same time, and by the old woman in the wood, who invited him to become the King of beasts. The animals afraid him, but he never allowed himself to torment and so on. Finally, the tragic finale of the novel (a terrible death of the hero’s wife and his own disappearance at night) may be connected with duality of hero’ nature: he is a man and a beast at the same time. A psychiatric, medical motivation of mysterious in «Lokis» may be given. It is connected with heredity (mother of the Hero went crazy), and love (doctor says that Juliana could drive Michael Shemet mad). A fear of the stories about the secret of his birth could do the hero crazy too. There is also psychological explanation for the dreaded final of the novel. It involves analysis of the unconscious: mind and instinct conflicted in the hero. The author of the article concludes that the the mithopoetic and psychological have the interrelated nature in Mérimée’s story (the mythological interpretation of the secrets of his birth, presence of destructive desires effect on the hero’s psyche which gradually stops to submit (to be controlled) to reason). Therefore, as the main semantic oppositions in the article are examined «conscious-unconscious», «orders-natural», «wild-cultural».
Authors and Affiliations
Valentyna Borysivna Musii
Keywords
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