Mythological motives in Johan Theorin’s novel «Night storm»
Keywords:
Scandinavian mythology, Swedish literature, mythologem, «The Poetic Edda», «The Prose Edda»Abstract
The representation of Scandinavian mythologems in the novel «Night storm» by the contemporary Swedish writer Johan Theorin is analysed in this article. The analysis is based on the previous work with the core sources of Scandinavian myths «The Poetic Edda» and «The Prose Edda». A mythologem of sacrifice, a mythologem of secret signs, a mythologem of coming back and a mythologem of a double are examined in the article. As a result of the analysis the author comes to a conclusion that on the one hand, Johan Theorin uses the mythologems in order to create a specific dismal atmosphere that turns from the background to a dominating component of the storyline, and on the other hand, that the mythological dimension in the novel is highly connected to the Christian tradition and superstitious beliefs.
References
- [The Prose Edda]. Moscow, 1994 (in Russ.).
- Theorin J. [Night Storm]. Stockholm, 2009 (in Swed.).
- Sturluson S. [Norse kings’ sagas]. Stockholm, 1996 (in Swed.).
- Freidenberg О. M. [Myth and ancient literature]. Moscow, 1998 (in Russ.).
- Allan T. [The vikings. Myths, culture and long distance voyages]. Stockholm, 2002 (in Swed.).
- Eliade М. [Myth about the eternal return]. Saint Petersburg, 1998 (in Russ.).
- [Beowulf. Poetic Edda. The Song of the Nibelungs]. Moscow, 1975 (in Russ.).
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