In this study, the author carries out a mythopoetic analysis of the English Baroque literature of the 17th century and studies the key mythopoetic paradigms (in terms of legendary and mythological traditions – antique, biblical, and national mythologies) based on the lyrical, epic, and dramatic baroque works. The author introduced the methodology of studying the mythopoetic paradigms in literary writings and researched the evolution of these paradigms (the narrative paradigm of world creation, fertility, hero, and deliverance myths) in the English Baroque literature.
It has been outlined the pragmatic nature of Baroque artists’ appeal to mythology as a cultural phenomenon; the use of mythological material in the baroque literary works was mainly carried out at the poetic level by introducing similes, metaphors; at the figurative level through allusions, symbols, personifications of nature; at the ideological and thematic level using mythological allusions.
The structure of the mythopoetic paradigm of metaphysical poets incorporates the scientific core as its integral component. It can be explained by the discoveries of the prominent scholars of that age: Іsaac Newton, Johannes Kepler, Rene Descartes, etc. Such innovations modify the mythopoetic worldview of writers adding new images and motives, stimulating the author’s imagination.
Within the scope of the Ukrainian literary criticism, this study pioneers the studies of Katherine Philips’ role in developing feministic motives in the English Baroque poetry, representing the complex feminine intellectual and sensual internal world in the light of antique, national, and Biblical myths. Worshipping the woman as the light source, the sun, “pretty household god” (Кatherine Philips), poetizing the woman’s image as the embodiment of the Blessed Virgin (John Donne, George Herbert) proves the wide range of metaphysical poetry, its interest towards both ontological and gender issues.
The study has proven that epic poems “Paradise Lost”, “Paradise Regained” by John Milton actualized four leading mythopoetic paradigms of the world creation, fertility, hero, and liberation. It leads to the conclusion that the author creates the worldview model of existence – a neomyth. The analysis delves into the most popular motive and topical complexes: life of Christ, creation of the world, redemption, etc. Constant archetypes get their share of thorough analysis as well: the author reflects on the role the semantics of a road, water, a temple, the sun, and their introduction to the texts by John Milton.
Based on the author’s criteria of the mythopoetic analysis of fiction, the research studies the topic of life in God in the didactic allegorical novels “The Pilgrim’s Progress”, “The Life and Death of Mister Badman” by John Bunyan, the topic of honor and serving the nation in the politic heroical novel “Aretina” by George Mackenzie, life as a challenge, an adventure in the novel “Parthenissa” by Roger Boyle, anticolonial topic of the novel “Oroonoko, or the Royal Slave” Аphra Behn, etc. in the light of mythopoeia.
The level of its assimilation depends on specific factors: both external (cultural specificity of the given age, the development of philosophy, social and historical conditions), and internal (individual approach of the author, genre and stylistic development, etc.) It is the transformations and modifications of the myth in their interdependence with other elements of the work of fiction that provide the possibility to create a unique individual author’s myth.
