Analogical thinking and fairy tale patterns: towards a possible history of a formulaic image

Radulović, Nemanja (2017) Analogical thinking and fairy tale patterns: towards a possible history of a formulaic image. In: Myth, symbol, and ritual: elucidatory paths to the fantastic unreality. Editura Universitatti din Bucuresti, Bucuresti, pp. 465-474. ISBN 978-606-16-0843-0

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Abstract

As stylistical traits of beauty in fairy tales, metallic and golden lustre and its comparison with the sun, the moon and the stars are already indicated by scholars. The Serbian fairy-tale matches with this European model. The beauty of the human form is mostly limited to face and hair. On the other hand, the body as a whole mentioned mostly as mutilated. This type of beauty can be seen in the past (Basile, Mm d’Aulnoy, even the Ancient Greek romance of Haritonos). According to some theories, fairy-tale beauty originates from Oriental sources and shows the supernatural origin of the heroine. In Serbian material there are mythical parallels in folk beliefs about fairies, whose appearance is described in same terms as that of fairy-tale figures (golden hair, e.g.). The connection among gold, sun and royal position comes from analogous thinking; this correspondence among planets, metals, social role and part of the body, established in the cultures of old, confirms the magical way of thinking in fairy tales.

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