Kazakova, M. V., Dorozhko, A. A. FOLKLORE AND MYTHOLOGICAL MOTIFS AS MEANS OF CREATING FANTASY REALITY IN TATYANA MESHKO̕ S NOVEL THE SORCERER IS HERE. Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2025;47(3):11. DOI: 10.15393/uchz.art.2025.1162


Russian literature and literature of the peoples of the Russian Federation

FOLKLORE AND MYTHOLOGICAL MOTIFS AS MEANS OF CREATING FANTASY REALITY IN TATYANA MESHKO̕ S NOVEL THE SORCERER IS HERE

Kazakova
M. V. 		Petrozavodsk State University
Dorozhko
A. A. 		Petrozavodsk State University
Keywords:
Tatyana Meshko
modern literature
novel The Sorcerer Is Here
mythology
folklore
fairy tale
fantasy reality
poetics
color symbolism		 Summary: his article presents a novel analysis of folklore and mythological motifs that underpin the author’s realization of the concept of fantasy reality in the novel The Sorcerer Is Here (2004) by a Karelian writer Tatyana Meshko. The relevance of this study stems from the necessity to identify means for representing folklore and mytho- logical motifs and images in modern Russian literature of Karelia. Employing comparative and descriptive research methods along with a systematic approach to literary analysis, the study reveals universal folkloric and mythical ele- ments that construct the novel’s fantasy world. The findings suggest that the intricate multifaceted composition of the work fosters its artistic unity in which the concept of “otherness” is integral. Central to the author’s fantasy concept is the dichotomy of “us” versus “them,” which inverts traditional meanings: “us” refers to the inhuman and weird, yet somehow humane, while “them” represents the human, yet with an infernal nature. The article also delves into various motifs, images, and structural elements that contribute to the creation of the fantasy reality in the novel, including the motif of the path (or road), magical assistants, anthropomorphic traits in the objective and natural worlds, and zoomor- phic characteristics of human beings. These elements collectively reinforce the central theme of the novel – the struggle between good and evil and the preservation of the human ideal in the modern world. The results of this research can be valuable for future studies of contemporary literary processes and can be incorporated into university curricula and specialized courses on the history of Russian literature and the Russian-language literature of Karelia.



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