Polskie i rosyjskie myślenie mityczne na podstawie słowiańskiej literatury fantasy

Joanna Pamięta-Borkowska

Abstrakt

The article discusses issues connected with Slavic fantasy literature presented as a reflection
of mythical thinking. The examples given are works of Polish and Russian writers who create in
this genre.
In order to discuss fantasy literature it is neccessary to define the genre itself, which is not an
easy task. In the article, the fantasy term is used to describe a genre of literature or film, in which
one of the most important parts of the story, keynote, time, place of action, characters and
circumstances will be magic and supernatural phenomena.
The Slavic fantasy appeared in Russia and Poland in a similar period and it still develops
today. One of the factors that influenced the development of this genre was the search for Slavic
roots, national identity. Those fantasy stories and novels are writings which clearly refer to the
history and culture of the old Slavic peoples . The Slavic fantasy contains unparelled care for the
realities of the epoch which is why it is sometimes called parahistoric.
The article presents the typology of the Slavic fantasy by Tadeusz A. Olszañski, according to
whom there are three ways of presenting the Slavic plot: language stylization, culture stylization
and the so called independent worlds.
Slavic fantasy is based on broad ethnographic material, especially Slavic demonology. The
characters of gods, spirits and beings often have a positive character.
The mythical thinking in literature can be seen on several levels. On the level of the world
described it takes the form of a prophecy, intervention of the gods into the lives of mortals. On the
construction level, it shows in the way the narration is made. Third level is the heroes and their
companions in that case the most native mythological element of Polish and Russian fantasy is
the said demonology.