• Russian Language and Literature
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• no.66
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• pp.65-86
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• 2019

This paper examines the affinities and cultural cognates between Slavs and Indo-Aryans from a perspective of Slavic mythology, comparative linguistics, and comparative cultural studies, etc. Of Proto-Indo-European Language Family, Slavic group belongs to the Satem Language group like Indo-Iranian(>Indo-Aryan, Iranian, Nuristani) group. For this reason, there turned out to be many linguistic evidences and cognates that Slavic and Indo-Aryan languages can share in common. Apart from biological DNA analysis that Indo-Aryans are close to Slavs in DNA types, there should be the three factors to support that Slavs and Aryans had contacted a long time before and that moreover, they still have a variety of cognates in languages and cultures, especially, in mythology, too. First, this study takes an exemplary of mythological comparisons with Slavic and Indo-Aryan gods' names, their origins, and their symbols. Secondly, linguistic analysis to compare the two languages is the best way to prove the connections between Slavic and Aryan cultural cognates. Lastly, this research investigates many cultural cognates of living culture and cults, which still remain without being extinct both in Slavs and in Indo-Aryans.

• Russian Language and Literature
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• no.66
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• pp.7-27
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• 2019

This paper studies how Eastern Slavic mythology is reflected in "The Eve of Ivan Kupala". The various motifs of Eastern Slavic mythology from end of 18th century to early 19th century appear in literature in various ways. Nikolai Gogol also reflects Eastern Slavic mythology in his works. Myths related to Kupalo, the protagonist in Kupala Night are closely connected to the works of Nikolai Gogol, gaining a new aesthetic function to act as artistic text. Kupala is connected to Petro, Kostroma to Pidorka, and Shirin to Vasavruk. The myth of the bracken flower, which is told that it blossoms on the eve of Kupala Night, is depicted in a lively manner in the literature. In addition, the belief in the myth that snapping the bracken flower brings treasure is connected to Russian religious and political beliefs, foretelling the destruction of Petro. The treasure obtained by owning the bracken flower, or klad, has also been passed down in various ways in the Eastern Slavic mythology. Nikolai Gogol allocates different materials on klad throughout his literature, describing the process of Petro finding the treasure in a more exciting manner. Through Pidorka's brother Ivasi, Gogol follows the Eastern Slavic motif that only the one with a pure soul can win the treasure. In addition, as Gogol's religious and moral perspective on gold and silver treasures was negative, Ivasi's death was inevitable. Adding religious meaning to the names of the characters in Gogol's work seems to be to add Russia's religious and political view on Eastern Slavic mythology. Ivasi is connected to Ivan, Pidorka to Pedora, and Petro to Peter. Gogol selected the religious meaning and the relationship among Ivan, Peter, and Pedora as the main theme of The Eve of Ivan Kupala and gained a new literary meaning by combining the characters of Eastern Slavic mythology with various motifs.

• Russian Language and Literature
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• no.67
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• pp.197-217
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• 2019

Mikhail Glinka, who had a profound influence on Russian nationalist music, created two forms of Russian classical opera. The first form is the first work of Glinka as a history-hero opera, the first opera of the Americas, "Ivan Susanin". The mythology-fairytale opera form, which Glinka's opera "Ruslan and Ludmila" left the first footsteps, is the second form of Russian classical opera. Dargomyzhsky's(Alexander Sergeyevich) opera "Rusalka" is not only a work linking the above-mentioned fairy-opera forms, but also a "life style psychology opera" which was first attempted in Russian music history. Dargomyzhsky's opera "Rusalka" is based on the Luisalka, the spirit of water delivered from the Slavic mythology, and the poems of Pushkin created on the basis of it. However, the script of this opera is written directly, and Dargomyzhsky's opera "Rusalka" is shaped in opera in deformed shape without replicating the spirit of mythical water perfectly. In Slavic mythology, the common denominator of the form of the subordinate"Rusalka" refers to the dead soul of a woman found in forests, near lakes or rivers, and has suffered from unfortunate events by alive life power, absurd society or bad men Or an innocent woman who has been betrayed by love, can not go to hell after the suicide and tempt men to death. However, the shape of "Rusalka" appearing in Dargomyzhsky opera "Rusalka" is different from that of Rusalka in the Slavic mythology (there are similarities and differences). These specificities are listed below: First, the different and the Dargomyzhsky's opera "Rusalka" i reveals all the mysteries, universality and folkness which are in the story of the Rusalka 's spirit in myth. Second, "Rusalka" in the East Slavic mythology is the existence of both good and evil forms. In the Dargomisshu opera opera "Rusalka", Rusalka is an evil spirit, a vengeful incarnation who takes a prince into the water and kills him with the evil water spirit. Third, "Rusalka" in Slavic mythology is a young virgin who has fallen into the water because of her tragic love. However, Natasha, a female actor of Dargomyzhsky's opera "Rusalka", is a person who drowns while pregnant. Fourth, "Rusalka" in the East Slavic mythology is 'an ominous being who dances.' The "Rusalka" come out of the water and wait for the night on cannabis or birch branches, and when the moon comes up, many people gather together to dance. Fifth, "Rusalka" in the East Slavic mythology tempts men to death without help of the person who had a family relationship before becoming a spirit. When I compare this with the contents of the East Slavic mythology, it is transformed from the myth to the help of Rusalka from the Birch, and from the opera to the father of Natasha. Fifth, "Rusalka" in the East Slavic mythology is a virgin, but in Dargomyzhsky's opera"Rusalka", Rusalka is an evil spirits of revenge with a daughter.