The Motif of Heroic Duel (Combat) and Its Variation Row in Mongolic Epic Traditions
Introduction. The article examines the motif of heroic duel (combat) as an important segment of the epic plot, and our comparative analysis of the nuclear basis of the motif and its variation list proves instrumental in delineating a structural-meaningful model motif invariant inherent to the epi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Российской академии наук, Калмыцкий научный центр
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Oriental Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://kigiran.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/2551/2344 |
| _version_ | 1818896801704443904 |
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| author | Evdokia E. Khabunova Ludmila S. Dampilova Alimaa Ayuushzhaviyin |
| author_facet | Evdokia E. Khabunova Ludmila S. Dampilova Alimaa Ayuushzhaviyin |
| author_sort | Evdokia E. Khabunova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction. The article examines the motif of heroic duel (combat) as an important
segment of the epic plot, and our comparative analysis of the nuclear basis of the motif and its variation
list proves instrumental in delineating a structural-meaningful model motif invariant inherent to the
epic of Mongolic peoples and depicting military conflicts. The issue has never been dealt with in this
perspective. Goals. The work seeks to determine a variation row of the invariant motif in national epic
traditions of Buryats, Kalmyks, Mongols, and Oirats. Materials. The variation row to be extracted
from Mongolic epic narratives, namely: Buryat uligers of Abai Geser (Ungin version of P. Petrov)
and Abai Geser Khubun (Ekhirit-Bulagat version of M. Emegenov), Baga Dorbet and Eelyan Ovla’s
cycles of the Kalmyk Epic of Jangar, Xinjiang Oirat version of the Jangar, Oirat Mongolian tuuli
texts titled Daini Kyurel and Khan Kharangui, and a Khalkha tuuli titled Agiyin Ulan Khan. Methods. To identify the typology and variable interpretations of the motif, the study uses elements of the
comparative-typological and comparative-historical methods. The ‘heroic duel (combat)’ motif
model is viewed as an element that hypothetically can act as the most important lever within the
plot development mechanism, e.g., evolving from a motif ― a ‘simplest narrative unit’ ― to a plot,
and vice versa. When it comes to identify the motif, its dualistic nature, variety of its properties and
features noted by Russian and foreign scientists are taken into account. Results. The comparative
insight into the motif of heroic duel (combat) makes it possible to single out the motif as an essential
constructive and meaningful element of the plot, examine the degree of productivity and mobility
of the motif in genetically related though stadially differing epics, as well as in ones belonging to
various taletelling traditions, observe heroic confrontation patterns in epics of Mongolic peoples.
Conclusions. The study concludes that motif invariants tend to form a plot basis, while motif variants
express certain features (stadial, national, local) of each epic tradition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T19:06:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-31c8062a858546ff81de01cc1309abd1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2619-0990 2619-1008 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T19:06:03Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Российской академии наук, Калмыцкий научный центр |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Oriental Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-31c8062a858546ff81de01cc1309abd12022-12-21T20:09:26ZengРоссийской академии наук, Калмыцкий научный центрOriental Studies2619-09902619-10082020-12-01132779789https://doi.org/10.22162/2619-0990-2020-49-3-779-789The Motif of Heroic Duel (Combat) and Its Variation Row in Mongolic Epic TraditionsEvdokia E. Khabunova0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2113-6877Ludmila S. Dampilova1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0917-5432Alimaa Ayuushzhaviyin2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3533-2000Gorodovikov Kalmyk State UniversityInstitute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies, Siberian Branch of the RASInstitute of Language and Literature, Mongolian Academy of SciencesIntroduction. The article examines the motif of heroic duel (combat) as an important segment of the epic plot, and our comparative analysis of the nuclear basis of the motif and its variation list proves instrumental in delineating a structural-meaningful model motif invariant inherent to the epic of Mongolic peoples and depicting military conflicts. The issue has never been dealt with in this perspective. Goals. The work seeks to determine a variation row of the invariant motif in national epic traditions of Buryats, Kalmyks, Mongols, and Oirats. Materials. The variation row to be extracted from Mongolic epic narratives, namely: Buryat uligers of Abai Geser (Ungin version of P. Petrov) and Abai Geser Khubun (Ekhirit-Bulagat version of M. Emegenov), Baga Dorbet and Eelyan Ovla’s cycles of the Kalmyk Epic of Jangar, Xinjiang Oirat version of the Jangar, Oirat Mongolian tuuli texts titled Daini Kyurel and Khan Kharangui, and a Khalkha tuuli titled Agiyin Ulan Khan. Methods. To identify the typology and variable interpretations of the motif, the study uses elements of the comparative-typological and comparative-historical methods. The ‘heroic duel (combat)’ motif model is viewed as an element that hypothetically can act as the most important lever within the plot development mechanism, e.g., evolving from a motif ― a ‘simplest narrative unit’ ― to a plot, and vice versa. When it comes to identify the motif, its dualistic nature, variety of its properties and features noted by Russian and foreign scientists are taken into account. Results. The comparative insight into the motif of heroic duel (combat) makes it possible to single out the motif as an essential constructive and meaningful element of the plot, examine the degree of productivity and mobility of the motif in genetically related though stadially differing epics, as well as in ones belonging to various taletelling traditions, observe heroic confrontation patterns in epics of Mongolic peoples. Conclusions. The study concludes that motif invariants tend to form a plot basis, while motif variants express certain features (stadial, national, local) of each epic tradition.https://kigiran.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/2551/2344epicmotifheroic duelbattlemotif invariantmotif variantstructural-meaningful modelmongolic peoples |
| spellingShingle | Evdokia E. Khabunova Ludmila S. Dampilova Alimaa Ayuushzhaviyin The Motif of Heroic Duel (Combat) and Its Variation Row in Mongolic Epic Traditions Oriental Studies epic motif heroic duel battle motif invariant motif variant structural-meaningful model mongolic peoples |
| title | The Motif of Heroic Duel (Combat) and Its Variation Row in Mongolic Epic Traditions |
| title_full | The Motif of Heroic Duel (Combat) and Its Variation Row in Mongolic Epic Traditions |
| title_fullStr | The Motif of Heroic Duel (Combat) and Its Variation Row in Mongolic Epic Traditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Motif of Heroic Duel (Combat) and Its Variation Row in Mongolic Epic Traditions |
| title_short | The Motif of Heroic Duel (Combat) and Its Variation Row in Mongolic Epic Traditions |
| title_sort | motif of heroic duel combat and its variation row in mongolic epic traditions |
| topic | epic motif heroic duel battle motif invariant motif variant structural-meaningful model mongolic peoples |
| url | https://kigiran.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/2551/2344 |
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