IMAGES-SYMBOLS OF UKRAINIAN MYTHOLOGY IN S. PONOMARENKO’S MYSTICAL THRILLER "THE BLACK WEDDING"

Abstract

The article analyzes the images and symbols of Ukrainian mythology in S. Ponomarenko’s mystical thriller “The Black Wedding”. The novel is quite interesting in terms of genre definition, because it clearly shows signs of thriller, detective, horror and fantasy. The mystical events of the work are related to the chronotope, because they take place in several temporal (1715 and modern days) and spatial (Velyka Tysha and Kyiv) planes. Displaced cause-and-effect relationships, characteristic of a thriller, contribute to the injection of a mysterious atmosphere and increase the sense of fear in the recipient. Depicting the inhabitants of the village of Velyka Tysha, the author focuses on their archaic worldview. It was revealed that in the novel there are two worlds – the world of people (“own” space) and the Beyond (“someone else’s” space) – with their own laws and rules. The mystics of the work also add images borrowed from Ukrainian demonology, in particular, a dryad, a mermaid, a forester, a witch, a substituted child (odminok). It is worth highlighting the image of White Lady, which connects the past and present of Velyka Tysha. The events of the novel take place on the night of Ivan Kupala, when mythical creatures were endowed with unusual powers and could harm people. That’s when the first murders take place, performed as a ritual rite. Our ancestors believed that a person is able to change his own destiny with the help of magic and sorcery. It was found that an important element in the analysis of the images of Ukrainian demonology is the spatial locus. Thus, “own” space is delineated by a village, a house, and “someone else’s” space is defined by a forest, a lake. A kind of border between the two worlds is the edge (surroundings) of Velyka Tysha, where transitory semidemonic beings, in particular witches and odminoks, feel protected. It is noted that the images borrowed from Ukrainian demonology are skilfully interpreted by the author. S. Ponomarenko focuses on the fact that, despite the harm that otherworldly beings could cause to a person, they strive for justice and punishment of the guilty.