Motif and archetypal structure in Erzhena Batorova’s fairy tale “Grandpa Pusuu’s dragon”

This study addresses the scientific problem of the limited understanding of the unique characteristics of the Russian-language literary fairy tale genre in Buryatia within the region’s contemporary literary landscape. Modern literary fairy tales in Buryatia artistically synthesize mythological foundations with literary traditions and demonstrate a fusion of diverse cultures. The aim of this research is to identify the specific features of the fairy tale genre at the intersection of these cultures. The literary fairy tale “Grandpa Pusuu’s dragon” by Erzhena Batorova serves as the source material for this study. The methodology incorporates principles and techniques from comparative-historical literary criticism, alongside psychological approaches to literary analysis. Erzhena Batorova’s “Grandpa Pusuu’s dragon” is defined as a literary fairy tale. The analysis of the work’s ideological and artistic structure is conducted within the context of mythological and folklore traditions. The study examines the interplay of Russian, Buryat, and Chinese artistic traditions, defining the specific nature of its intertextuality. It also reveals the significance and role of myth and oral folklore in the development of the literary fairy tale genre. The analysis identifies motifs of magic, journeys, transformations, initiation, the spiritual path, exchange and deception, illness, return, disruption and the restoration of order. The realization of archetypal figures – the child, the shadow, and the trickster – is explored. The author’s reinterpretation of folklore heroes, such as the seeker, the victim, the antagonist, the helper, and the giver, is investigated. The correlation between types of heroes and their associated functions is established, and the scope of their actions is examined. The authorial perspective is revealed through an analysis of elements from folk cultures. The study identifies the inadequacy of the semantics of mythological images and the disruption of the sequence of hero functions. The individualization and increasing complexity of the author’s fairy tale characters, whose images are rooted in folklore, are traced. The practical significance of this research lies in enriching theoretical knowledge of the modern literary fairy tale genre in Buryatia. Future research directions may involve further investigation of the Russian-language literary fairy tale genre.