Article

Name: The Embodiment of the Myth about the Woman-Snake in A. Remizov’s Story “Melusina” and Armenian Legends

Authors: H. А. Sahakyan

Vanadzor State University, Vanadzor, Republic of Armenia

In the section Literary Life of the Plot

Abstract:

In world folklore, both the Myth of the Snake-woman and the motive of the birth of “wonderful children” from half-humans-half animals are widespread.

Melusine is a fairy, a heroine of a folk tale of Celtic origin. Often depicted as a female-snake or female-fish from the waist downwards, sometimes with two tails. The Legend of Melusine goes back to the mythological motif of the “sacred marriage” of a chthonic being with a celestial deity, which was then transformed into the fabulous motif of the “wonderful spouse” (AaTh 400-459).

The folk legends we have considered about mermaids and other travesty of female characters in snakes reveal a direct connection with the cult of the goddess of love and fertility. All similar characters, like Melusine, reveal a connection with lunar symbolism, as well as with the other world. The moon and stars have a sacred symbolic meaning in the work of A. Remizov and accompany fragments of Melusine’s appearance, and are also present at all important and fateful events, such as the death of Emery, the Meeting of Raymond and Melusine at the source, and the Wedding.

We have revealed the similarity of Melusine’s image with fish-like and snake-like characters in Armenian folklore and mythological texts. The large luminous stone on Melusine’s forehead echoes the motif of the magic stone on the head of the king of snakes or frogs.

As a result of the study of the Legend of Melusine in the literary processing of A. Remizov, we can conclude that Melusine reveals the closest connection with the pagan deities of fertility, as well as all three fairy sisters are in one way or another connected with the Armenian Kingdoms and Armenian mythology.

Keywords: prohibition of Melusine, motive of sacred marriage, wonderful spouse, sea maiden, stone of a snake, water source

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