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ATLAS OF MYTHS
Studying mythology within the limits of the European tradition of knowledge began in epoch of classical Greece (philosophic-symbolical concept Platon was rather interesting). Revival of interest to mythology has taken place from Renaissance. Thus, though separate concepts surpassed time (are those, for example, were sights J. Vico which believed, that the myth in ancient epoch comprised all aspects of culture), as a whole, is necessary to attribute the beginning of the scientific analysis of myths to middle of 19 centuries. Then there were two large scientific schools: sun-moon where gods were treated as symbols sun-moon objects or the meteorological phenomena and cultural - anthropological school resisting to it, whose representatives investigated archaic tribes of South America, Equatorial Africa and Oceania.
The solar-meteorological school represents significant interest from the point of view of the present research as its representatives used a comparative-historical method. This method was borrowed from comparative Indo-European linguistics which actively developed from the end of 18 centuries. It meant a generality of an origin Indo-European peoples and relationship of their languages occurring from certain "parent language", existing in the remote past.
The brightest spokesman of cultural - anthropological school were E. Taylor and J. Fraser - authors, accordingly, animystical and ritualistic theories of a myth. Representation is typical of this direction about a myth as about pre-scientific an explanation of the phenomena of world around. Despite of many important ideas and the valuable ethnographic material collected by representatives of cultural - anthropological school, such sight represents the certain recourse.
The Twentieth century is characterised by attention to psychological aspects of a myth. On this basis such influential concepts, as the theory primitive thinking Levi Broulle, the theory mythical creation were created with the purpose of rescue from fear before M. Eliade's history, structuralistic theory of a myth of K. Levi-Straus etc.
It is necessary to recognise significant achievements of the mentioned scientists in the field of the analysis of features of mythological thinking, reflection in myths of space and time. Nevertheless, from the point of view of the present research the greatest interest is represented with works, whose authors concentrate the attention to concrete mythological characters as these characters and the plots connected to them are the basic maintenance of any mythology. Here again there is a problem of interpretation of concept " the mythological character ".
Answers to this question in different epoch could be various. Originally "god", "hero", "demon" were thought as the real-life subjects distinguished from the person only by that were, on L.N. Gumilev words, on the order is more perfect than him as people are more perfect than ants. In process of development of a civilisation (both in the West, and in the East) there were sceptical moods. We see the ironical attitude to images of ancient Greek gods at Aristophan and Lucian or representation about gods as the idolised historical figures at Eugemer.
In New time, in connection with secularisation interest to mythological primary sources, on the one hand, has quickened, with another - they were interpreted, as a rule, in the reduced, allegorical kind. Simultaneously with it there was an interesting tendency to treat images of ancient gods as poetic metaphors which originates in 13 century (Sturluson's Edda). Especially this tendency was developed in epoch of romanticism and neo-romanticism.
In the twentieth century significant influence on understanding of a problem of interpretation of concept " the mythological character " rendered K.G. Jung. Such Jung's archetypes as "anime", "animus", "mother", "wise old man" partly it is possible to interpret as prototypes of characters of all world mythology. At all importance of such installation which in eyes of the modern person as though will rehabilitate mythology, giving it intellectual support, it is necessary to note, that the Swiss scientist was, first of all, the psychoanalyst that has imposed very strong print on all this concept. To present time still know about mental processes that on this basis to build global concepts more few.
Therefore, while it is represented to more lawful to treat mythological characters from the point of view closer to sociological - gods as an embodiment of social forces and structures (this approach was planned in E. Durkgejm 's 19 century).
Among the scientists engaged in research the Indo-European mythologies as a whole, J. Dumezil, the author of the so-called three-functional theory uses the greatest popularity. His idea basis on fact that primary gods of the Indo-Europeans should be grouped on functions: magic authority, military force, fertility (the pantheon represented a society projection as Dumezil saw it). At all beauty and logicality and wide popular this theory is a little bit artificial and causes disputes. In particular, it is known, that the gods connected to sphere of fertility, had in most cases magic function (and, frequently and military). Nevertheless, extensiveness of erudition and the deep analysis of the French scientist have enriched a science with many valuable conclusions. Besides, as fairly marks Mac Cane " irrespective of its central thesis, theory Dumezil gives reason for existence of the coordinated system of the gods inherited from Indo-Europeans of the past... " (Mac Cana P. Celtic mythology. - London: Hamlin, 1973).
The drawings were printed: A. Fantalov. Atlas of myths. St. Petersburg: Dean 1995. (An album).
Mythological menu:
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King Arthur and Noble Knights 1.
King Arthur and Noble Knights 2.
Abstractionism: painting and drawing.
Realism, abstractionism and art deco in the history, the theory and the practice of the fine art.
Mythologies:
Thracian, Dacian, Illyrian, Scythian and Alanian mythologies.
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