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Byliny of bogatyr Svyatogor: Structural and Comparative Analysis of Narrative
Dynda, Jiří ; Lemeškin, Ilja (advisor) ; Antalík, Dalibor (referee)
Jiří Dynda Byliny of bogatyr Svyatogor: Structural and Comparative Analysis of Narrative (MA Thesis) Abstract This thesis is an analysis and interpretation of the thirty seven textual variants of the byliny of bogatyr Svyatogor. After the general introduction to the Russian folk epics and after the presentation of issues concerning the study of oral epic literature, author's own structural concept of myth and cultural representations is presented. In the central part the thesis attempts to apply these principles to the narrative of the byliny of Svyatogor and by means of a thorough analysis it indicates, which motives and their relations were fundamental for this narrative to make sense in the local context of bylinaic tradition. The thesis claims that these narratives primarily deal with the themes of the initiation of a young hero, the generation conflict and the transmission of a mentor's position to his apprentice (or, metaphorically, a father's position to his son). This hypothesis is subsequently tested via a two phased comparative analysis of the central motives and their clusters: Firstly, the comparison is made in the context of the bylinaic traditions per se and in the context of the ethnographic situation at the Russian North (internal comparison), and secondly, in the wider scope of the Eurasian...
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Talking Heads: Comparative and Structural Analysis of the Myths of Vital Severed Heads
Sojková, Barbora ; Lyčka, Milan (advisor) ; Chlup, Radek (referee)
The thesis deals with a symbolism of the head and its attachment to knowledge, which will be presented on the Indo-European myths of severed heads with the use of methods of comparative mythology and structural analysis. In the first part of the thesis is introduced general symbolism of the head and its possible transformations in Indo-European mythologies. Nevertheless, the focus of the thesis is in presentation of myths, in which the decapitated head plays the central role. Those myths are formed into three types based on power, which is given to the severed heads. In the second part the thesis deals with three particular myths of the speaking severed heads, namely Greek myth of Orpheus, Welsh story of Bran and Old Norse myth of Mímir, whereas those myths are thoroughly presented, interpreted by using structural analysis, and compared. The results of interpretation are afterwards transposed to the other myths of severed heads and to the general symbolism of a head. The focal point of the text is mainly work with primary mythological sources, even though metodological basis of interpretation is also emphasised.
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