Poluyakhtova, I. K., Demenyuk, V. M. THE RECEPTION OF THE FOLK TALE “RUMPELSTILTSKIN” IN THE NOVEL “THE CRONING” BY L. BARRON // Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2019. No 3 (180). P. 17–21. DOI: 10.15393/uchz.art.2019.303


Literary studies

THE RECEPTION OF THE FOLK TALE “RUMPELSTILTSKIN” IN THE NOVEL “THE CRONING” BY L. BARRON

Poluyakhtova
I. K. 		Lobachevsky State University
Demenyuk
V. M. 		Lobachevsky State University
Keywords:
reception
folk tale
Laird Barron
The Croning
Rumpelstiltskin
paradox of painful art		 Summary: The article discusses L. Barron’s novel “The Croning” as an example of deconstruction of the folk tale about Rumpelstilskin. It analyzes the genre of the novel: L. Barron breaks the domination of space above the time, which is inherent for the original folk tale, moreover, he makes the representation of a time as an endless circle the central image of the novel. The author also ruins the archetypical opposition between “familiar – stranger” and makes the cathegory of the horror the semantic center of the narration. Article also discusses the connection between the novel and the legacy of H. P. Lovecraft and A. Bierce. As well as his forerunners, L. Barron uses mythological images to affect directly the subconsciousness of the readers and in that way we could suggest the decision for the paradox of painful art. Leaning on works of H. P. Lovecraft and A. Bierce, L. Barron makes his own conception of a human being, where a subjective perspective limits a man and that’s why he is unable to understand the real meaning of things and life.



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