Kmet V. The Archetype of Witch in Ukrainian Literature in the XIX–XX Century.

The dissertation is devoted to a complex investigation of the way the archetype of witch was constructed in Ukrainian belles-lettres of XIX–XX centuries. The research is based on the analysis of Ukrainian literary texts, literary-theoretical and critical works, folklore and ethnographic materials, iconography and pictorial art. The evolution of creative interpretation of the archetypal image of witch is also investigated in this dissertation, especially the functioning of archetype as an author's original reception. The research reveals that creative interpretation and retransmission of the archetype of witch in the Ukrainian literature follows two patterns: the first one strictly adheres to demotic beliefs about witchcraft, while the second one demonstrates incredible and vivid examples of original author's interpretation.