TYPOLOGY OF THE SNAKE IMAGE IN THE UKRAINIAN MAGIC FOLK TALE: FUNCTIONAL AND SEMANTIC ASPECT

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the study is to identify the main types of the snake image in Ukrainian magic fairy tales and to analyze its functional and semantic features within the structure of the fairy-tale narrative. Methods. The methodological framework of the study is based on the comprehensive application of typological, structural-semiotic, hermeneutic, and chronotopic approaches. The typological method was employed to identify and systematize the main types of the snake image in Ukrainian magic fairy tales. Structural-semiotic analysis was applied to examine the functional and semantic characteristics of the snake image within the system of the fairy-tale narrative. The hermeneutic approach, combined with psychoanalytic tools, was used to interpret the archetypal nature and symbolic meaning of the snake image. The chronotopic approach was employed to consider the snake image as a marker of the spatial and temporal organization of the fairy-tale world. Results. As a result of the analysis, three main types of the snake image were distinguished, each representing a specific model of interaction within the spatio-temporal framework of the fairy tale. It has been established that each of the identified types performs characteristic functions in the structure of the narrative and correlates with the corresponding archetypes of the collective unconscious. The first type is the snake as a magical helper. This image embodies the archetype of the Good Mother. The snake-helper assists the protagonist in overcoming obstacles, provides magical objects, and ensures transitions between different spatio-temporal levels of the fairy-tale world, functioning primarily within its “own” or relatively safe space for the hero. The second type is the mother-snake. It possesses anthropomorphic features and is usually located in the otherworld or at the boundary between worlds. Its goal is to eliminate the protagonist; the methods of confrontation vary depending on the context, reflecting the variability of its functioning within the fairy-tale chronotope. In more archaic texts, the snake appears less aggressive, whereas in later narratives it becomes more hostile and destructive. The third type is the enchanted snake. The enchanted girl (a personified Anima of the hero) is under the control of a demonic force. The protagonist must perform a series of feats in order to reveal the spiritual aspect of the heroine and free her from the snake skin, which represents the process of transition between different ontological states. Conclusions. Thus, through the comprehensive application of typological, structural-semiotic, hermeneutic, and chronotopic approaches, the main types of the snake image in Ukrainian magic fairy tales have been identified. The snake image emerges as a complex symbolic construct that integrates archetypal, functionalsemantic, and chronotopic dimensions and serves as one of the key mechanisms in the organization of the fairytale narrative.