Reshaping the Myth and The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales

MUDr. Bc. Mária Kopecká

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Tato práce se zabývá analýzou skupiny moderních pohádek ze sbírky pohádek The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales editované Alison Lurie. Pohádky jsou zkoumány z pohledu mýtu a archetypu. Cílem práce je poukázat na tendenci moderních pohádek vykazovat změnu ve smyslu tradičních archetypních symbolů a mýtů podle libovůle autorů nebo jako odraz změn ve společnosti. Pohádky zahrnuté k hlubší analýze byly vybrány s ohledem na to, že sbírka obsahuje pohádky z různých období. Ačkoli se tato práce soustředí hlavně na archetypy anima a animy, probírá se také celkový rozbor archetypů.

Abstract:

This thesis deals with the analysis of a sub-selection of modern fairy tales from the collection of fairy tales called The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales, edited by Alison Lurie. The fairy tales are looked upon from the perspective of myth criticism and archetypes. The aim of this thesis is to point to a tendency of modern fairy tales in showing variation in meanings of traditional archetypal symbols and myths according to the free will of the authors or as the reflection of the changes of the society. The fairy tales that were further analysed were selected with respect to the collection being from different periods of time. Although the main focus of the thesis is on the archetypes of animus and anima, the overall analysis of archetypes is also discussed.

Keywords

fairy tales, myth, archetype, archetypal image, shift

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 12. 1. 2021

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 17. 2. 2021
• Supervisor: Mgr. Filip Krajník, Ph.D.
• Reader: M.A. Jeffrey Alan Smith, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Arts

Master programme / field:
Teacher Training for Secondary Schools / Upper Secondary School Teacher Training in English Language and Literature