Suoluogubo The Theme Of Religious Myths In The Novel Creation

Traditional literary research has, due to various reasons, viewed Sologub as a decadent poet and a morbidly sensual writer in depreciating terms. Based on an analysis of his 5 novels, some of his poems, novelettes and short stories, the author in this thesis attempts at a rereading of the mythologemes in his works by applying mythologistic approaches and archetypal criticism. The author believes that the following mythoreligious motifs are expressed in his works:1. Love. In his novels, Sologub criticizes Christian asceticism and indulgent sensuality in ancient Greek polytheism. He denies the possibility of reforming the world with fantasies, and believes that a new Utopian world can only be built upon creative deified love.2. Demon. Sologub expresses his general denial and rejection of life by using demonic images of Satan, Ahriman and the snake from Christianity, Gnosticism and Zoroastrianism; and his employment of the Antichrist from Christianity and Lucifer from ancient Greek polytheism voices out his wish that these symbolic characters could reconstruct for him a promised land, or as it were, a Utopian world that he has been so strenuously striving for.3. Death. Ritualistic death in Sologub's novels is of the same ontological importance. It is first a symbol of destruction and power lost and regained; and secondly, death, as love is in Sologub's eyes, is not only a transition to freedom, eternity, and infiniteness, but a synonym of creating new life.