E. A. Sharonova, O. P. Ingle. The image of Life in the epic “Mastorava” by A. M. Sharonov

The image of Life in the epic “Mastorava” by A. M. Sharonov

Elena A. Sharonova
National Research Mordovia State University,
Saransk, Russia

Oksana P. Ingle
Foreign Language Institute,
Monterey, U.S.A.

Introduction. Folklore often expresses images of Life and Death in a specific historical context as well as in the context of “big time”. The heroic epic depicts Life and Death over the course of the life of a nation which is part of the “big” Life that incorporates past, present and future. The national epic, however, with its collective consciousness is able to organize the themes of Life and Death and give them philosophical and social meaning. The academic novelty of this article is its analysis of the image of Life in the epic “Mastorava” by A. M. Sharonov. The object of study is the epic “Mastorava”. The subject of the research is the image of Life in the epic “Mastorava”. The purpose of the study is to consider the uniqueness of the image of Life presented in “Mastorava” as an endless creative process: life as creativity. This article uses scholarly literature and the epic “Mastorava” to show the poetic, figurative and expressive means which are used to create the image of Life.
Materials and Methods. The material of study is the epic “Mastorava” by A. M. Sharonov. The goals and objectives of the study are to explain the choice of research methods: historical-literary, descriptive, and genetic, which are used to analyze the image of Life in the epic “Mastorava”. In the methodology, special attention is paid to the detailed analysis of “Mastorava”, along with observations and conclusions. Close attention is paid to the text as “illustrative” material and to analyzing it on different levels in accordance with the stated research model.
Results and Discussion. The category of Life in “Mastorava” is cosmological, philosophical, and sociological in addition to being biological. It is associated with Light which comprises the realms of the earth, sky, and man where Life is embedded in the idea of divine creation. However, the main character of Life is a human collective for whom the entire earth is created. In the epic the human collective is personified by Heroes (Damai, Kudaday, Tekshon, Tyushtyan, Arsai, Kanyava, etc.) who represent ordinary people in the epic and in history. These people think, perform heroic deeds, organize their families and social lives, and introduce order, harmony and beauty.
Conclusion. The image of Life in “Mastorava” includes everyday and eternal life, the ordinary and existential, and the beautiful and tragic. The image of Life also shows the fundamental forms of relations between man and the world, between people and nations, and how each of them has a unique character, mentality, and psychology. The image of Life is presented as a universal phenomenon. In “Mastorava’ the Erzyans and Mokshans call their land the “Land of the Living” in which Life almost always defeats Death. A man realizing himself as one of the people is proud of belonging and gains his strength from their strength. And a woman just because she is born a woman possesses heroic and creative qualities and can choose her own destiny.

Keywords: epic, Mastorava, Life, hero, plot, time, space

For citation: Sharonova EA, Ingle OP. The image of Life in the epic “Mastorava” by A. M. Sharonov. Finno-ugorskii mir = Finno-Ugric World. 2022;14;4:486–494. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.15507/2076-2577.014.2022.04.486-494.