CLASSICAL MYTH IN THE MODERN BELARUSIAN PROSE REVISED, OR SOME NEW TRAITS TO THE IMAGE OF “NATIONAL CATASTROPHE”

Abstract

Modern Belarusian literary works consisting ancient imagery, plots, and motives are studied. The interest of the modern authors in the classical tradition is explained by the metaphysical similarity between the feeling of “national catastrophe” in the texts by Belarusian authors, and the “ancient fear”. The interpretation of classical myths turns into ironical, tragic, and grotesque narrative. The universal mythological meaning is revealed through turning it into a common mode of burlesque. The reconsideration of the classical myth in modern Belarusian prose viewed as an artistic image can be considered another try to save Belarusian language and culture from their catastrophic state, to revive the Belarusian issue.