RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism (Dec 2018)

THE MOTHER ARCHETYPE IN THE POETRY OF N.A. KLYUEV

  • Tatiana Aleksandrovna Ponomareva

DOI
https://doi.org/10.22363/2312-9220-2018-23-3-267-276
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 23, no. 3
pp. 267 – 276

Abstract

Read online

This article focuses on the mother’s archetype in Klyuev’s poetry. Archetypal variants of the mother’s image are mother goddess, mother earth, mother Motherland, mother wise old woman, who in turn have their artistic counterparts. The archetypal image of the mother-a wise old woman appears at Klyuev after the death in 1913 of the poet’ mother, when he begins to comprehend her role in his personal and creative life. In a series of “Isbania the song” the image of the mother acquires a sacred significance. She is portrayed as the guardian of the house, as a righteous woman, likened to the virgin, returns to earth as a “ethereal guest”. Another variant of the mother’s image, which dates back to the mythological Mother-the Raw earth, is “Mother nature”, “mother Earth, being the cradle”. The article also traces the development of images of Mother Russia, mother Motherland, Holy Russia, great Russia, feminized comparison: bride-Russ, Russ-beauty-girl, Russia-mother-in-law.

Keywords