Zazdrość i jej tragiczne następstwa na podstawie baśniowej figury złej macochy w wybranych baśniach ze zbioru Słowiańskie baśnie i bajki Mieczysława Rościszewskiego, Baśnie wschodniosłowiańskie Iwony Czapli oraz tomu Baśnie, opowieści, gadki przez Oskara Kolberga Zebrane

Abstract

The subject of this article is the analysis of the motif of a jealous stepmother in selected Slavonic tales, such as Białośnieżka (from the collection Słowiańskie baśnie i bajki by Mieczysław Rościszewski), Czarci młyn (from the collection Baśnie wschodniosłowiańskie by Iwona Czapla) and Zła macocha (from the collection Baśnie, opowieści, gadki przez Oskara Kolberga Zebrane). This motif is an archetype of female rivalry, which has a destructive effect on the heroines and their families. The topic addressed in this paper is topical from the perspective of research on emotionality and family roles in literature, as fairy tales are an important source of knowledge about both public and private relationships. The aim of this paper was to identify the main causes of stepmother jealousy and to show its consequences through the lens of traditional beliefs and archetypes, such as the Great Goddess in her three emanations – White, Red and Black. The paper uses a “close reading” method, which involves reading the folk and mythological contexts present in the fairy tales examined as closely as possible. The analysis presented proved that jealousy in fairy tales is not just an emotion, but a force destroying family relationships. The figure of the stepmother, personifying jealousy and destruction, was contrasted with the stepdaughter, a symbol of renewal and life. It was also shown that the punishments meted out by the jealous stepmother were commensurate with the harm done, emphasising the didactic nature of the tale.