Living Myths in a Living World

This chapter considers fan studies in a mythological studies context and examines how green studies might use a similar approach to tap into the cultural and mythic power of modern fandoms. The first part defines the components of myth, considers existing fandom studies theories related to those components, and discusses on how fandom studies could impact the larger mythological studies debate. The second part describes the mythological roots of today's environmental crises and discusses the influence of specific fandoms on environmental activism. The chapter closes with some thoughts on how a mythological and green approach to fandom could provide further cultural impetus to positive environmental values much as feminist, ethnic, and queer perspectives on fandom have highlighted and supported a value shift in society as a whole.

O. O. Potebnja’s scholar formation in the light of the discussion with P. O. Lavrovskij

The paper deals with the situation which emerged after the publication of O. O. Potebnja’s (A. A. Potebnya’s) work „On mythical significance of the rituals and the superstitions” (1865) where some problems of comparative mythological studies were examined. This work became an object of critical analysis accomplished by professor of Kharkov university P. O. Lavrovskij, Potebnja’s teacher, who wrote and published (1866) a voluminous critical review text (102 pages) in the genre of razbor „an analytical book review” which represented the reviewing traditions of the academic discourse in XIX c. O. O. Potebnja’s text which contains the replies to the critique of his teacher in the razbor remains as a whole still unpublished and is preserved as an archive document. In Potebnja studies it is conventionally named „The reply”. So the textual base for the analysis of this discussion includes three texts, two last of which are under consideration in the paper. The text of P. O. Lavrovskij’s razbor is notable for its extremely detailed analysis of Potebnja’s work with the use of rare sources, extra information from manuscripts, vocabularies, academic works on mythology, history and culture of different peoples, on linguistics and comparative studies. The text shows that P. O. Lavrovskij’s attention is directed mainly to the methodological aspect of Potebnja’s research: his critical remarks cover almost all methods of analysis, especially, the procedures dealing with establishment of identity or similarity of the mythical objects. Discussing with P. O. Lavrovskij O. O. Potebnja demonstrates an equal status to his opponent, his vast commentaries in the text of „The reply” correspond to the deep understanding of the nature of mythical space. His position in this textual discussion is marked by maturity of considerations and highly informative answers to his opponent. The author comes to the conclusion that the discussion represents the situation of methodological conflict, typical for the history of Slavic studies in XIX c., which nevertheless creates stimuli for elaborating methodological foundations in philological science.

Philosophical Versions of the Eternal Storyline About Cupid and Psyche: from Neoplatonism to Christianity

<p>The subject of this paper is the transformation of the poetics of Cupid and Psyche plot in its national and historical modifications in European literature. The methodology of the analysis is based on mythological studies (A.&nbsp;N.&nbsp;Veselovsky, A.&nbsp;F.&nbsp;Losev) and genre studies (M.&nbsp;M.&nbsp;Bakhtin, S.&nbsp;S.&nbsp;Averintsev, E.&nbsp;M.&nbsp;Meletinsky, etc.). Allegorization of the images of Love and Soul appeared in the antiquity long before the novel by Apuleius &ldquo;Asinus Aureus&rdquo; or &ldquo;Metamorphoses&rdquo; (the 2^nd century AD). In a&nbsp;Greek epigram Eros is often associated with the element of fire that puts the soul&nbsp;&mdash; &ldquo;Psycho&rdquo;&nbsp;&mdash; to a variety of ordeals and tortures. In &ldquo;Metamorphoses&rdquo; by Apuleius the tale about Cupid and Psyche can be seen as an allegorical narration about the soul traveling around the world and looking for ways to Love and eternal life. Later, the parabolic core of the ancient story was enriched with new motifs from the arsenal of mythology, Neoplatonism and Christianity. The archetypical basis and platonic paradigm of the plot in &ldquo;Metamorphoses&rdquo; by Apuleius go together in a syncretic unity, that provides universality and polysemy of the different versions of tales about Cupid and Psyche in European literature. The neoplatonic version of the story, which interprets the reunion between Cupid and Psyche as the Union of God and Soul, is represented in literature by writings of Fulgentius, Boccaccio, Heine, Coleridge, Żuławski and others.</p>

Living Myths in a Living World

This chapter considers fan studies in a mythological studies context and examines how green studies might use a similar approach to tap into the cultural and mythic power of modern fandoms. The first part defines the components of myth, considers existing fandom studies theories related to those components, and discusses on how fandom studies could impact the larger mythological studies debate. The second part describes the mythological roots of today's environmental crises and discusses the influence of specific fandoms on environmental activism. The chapter closes with some thoughts on how a mythological and green approach to fandom could provide further cultural impetus to positive environmental values much as feminist, ethnic, and queer perspectives on fandom have highlighted and supported a value shift in society as a whole.

On the Reception of the French Version of Cupid and Psyche Plot in the Poem of Ippolit Bogdanovich “Dushenka” (1783)

The subject of this paper is the transformation of poetics of Cupid and Psyche plot in its national and historical modifications in French and Russian literatures of the 17th–18th centuries. The methodology of the analysis is based on mythological studies (K. Levi-Strauss, J. Frazer, A. N. Veselovsky, A. F. Losev) and genre studies (M. M. Bakhtin, S. S. Averintsev, E. M. Meletinsky, etc.). This paper examines the genre of J. de La Fontaine’s and his follower Ippolit Bogdanovich’s versions of the plot and the interrelation of various literary styles in their poetics. The genre of the French and Russian versions absorbs the elements of Classicism, Baroque and Rococo which are combined in syncretic unity. The transformation of the tale of Cupid and Psyche leads La Fontaine and Bogdanovich to the creation of a hybrid genre in which the initial version of the plot is exposed to travesty and revaluation.

The Historical Irish Harp: Myths Demystified

This article presents the work of three scholars from three disciplinary areas, surveying the history of the Irish harp through the lenses of organology and musicology, supported by literary and mythological studies. The historical Irish harp, also known as Cláirseach or Early Gaelic harp, is simultaneously one of the world’s most famous and least known musical instruments. We see it on various romanticised “Irish” flags, on the State arms of Ireland (and indeed, representing Ireland, on those of the UK and Canada), on the Irish Presidential standard and the flag of the Irish province of Leinster, on Irish Euro coins, and painted on the tails of aeroplanes. The Guinness brewing company exports millions of images of the harp, labelling the bottles of its most famous product. But we hear it far less often, and our knowledge of its technical workings is clouded by a mist of repeated half-truths and patriotically inspired legends. The popular vision of ancient harpers is surrounded by an aura of romantic mysticism, but it is generally assumed that they not only enjoyed the privileges of freemen, but could influence listeners’ emotions with mysterious power. “The only entertainer with independent legal status (soíre) is the harpist… He is expected to be able to play music to bring on tears (goltraige), to bring on joy (gentraige) and to bring on sleep (súantraige)”. Now that the political tensions surrounding such a national symbol have declined, there is a new opportunity for rigorous, international research with full use of modern methodologies. The first step in this renewed research effort should be to abandon any preconceptions, to re-examine some musicological folklore and debunk some cherished myths.

Den oldengelske digtning og Grundtvig

Grundtvig and Anglo-Saxon PoetryBy Bent NoackGrundtvig’s work on Anglo-Saxon poetry and his use of it is, in many respects, an important part of his legacy to his people and his church. It was the historian Grundtvig who, at the beginning of his career, used the Beowulf Poem in his mythological studies and both welcomed and criticized Thorkelin’s 1815 edition of it. His work on Beowulf went on, almost till the end of his life, with translations, reproduction and, finally, an edition in 1861.His journeys to England in 1829 to 1831 also had historical and mythological studies as their main purpose. But soon Grundtvig became aware that England possessed an important group of manuscripts of biblical and religious poetry, the Exeter Book being the most outstanding. He planned an edition, in England, of ’the most valuable Anglo-Saxon manuscripts’, as he said in his ’prospectus’ for a subscription. Part of the plan was eventually carried out by Benjamin Thorpe, but Grundtvig’s work was not done for nothing: many of his readings and emendations are still maintained. In 1840, he published an edition of the ’Phoenix’ with introduction and translation.As a hymn writer Grundtvig reproduced pieces of Anglo-Saxon poetry; his collected hymns contain eight reproductions, and two of them are still among the most cherished of his hymns.