Образ колдуна Боровика в рассказе Русалка Ореста Сомова

Abstract

The article analyses the image of Borovik the Sorcerer (Боровик) in the short story Русалка (Water Nymph, 1829) by O. Somov from the perspective of the demonological discourse construed as the use of language, the means to communicate ideas and the interaction of individuals in the society in the Russian literature of the Romanticism in the context of Slavic national demonology. The author shows that the image of Somov’s sorcerer was constructed according to the criteria of the unique socio-cultural phenomenon – Russian sorcery (русскоe колдовствo). Particular attention was paid to Borovik’s external appearance, his behaviour towards, and interactions with other characters (Gorpinka the water nymph and her mother), his ways of building authority and the relationship of power that existed between him and the local community. In the overall context of Slavic folklore the author analyses also functions of animals that play the role of the sorcerer’s minions. In the final section the article points out the link of the analysed image with the Romantic preoccupation with the common people, as well as literary freneticism.