Information on the thesis

The PhD thesis is the first complex and integral study of the image of a horse
within the system of zoomorphic symbolism of Ukrainian folklore. The research
analyzes and generalizes the history of the study of animal images in Slavic folklore in
general and in Ukrainian in particular. The specificity of methodological bases of
zoomorphic figurative and symbolic folklore system analysis is revealed. On the basis
of the methods of description of animal characters already known in Slavic science (O.
Hura, A. Nikitina and N. Pastukh) the researcher’s own scheme a zoomorphic horse
image description is developed and its symbolics in the Ukrainian folklore is
emphasized. The symbolic meaning of individual elements of the animal integral image
is clarified by the functional principle (functional common features of image and
symbol identification (methodology by A. Nikitina), as well as at the linguistic level.
Mythological image of a horse is analyzed through its specific characteristics at the
morphological, actional and “social” levels, often using the method of binary
oppositions. Based on the study of various genres of oral poetry and traditions, rituals
that explain the text, symbolic significance of the animal image within the folklore
picture of the world of Ukrainians is revealed. The perception of the image of a horse is
traced starting from mythological one in the most ancient genres of folklore to actually
poetic in lyrical songs, small folklore forms, folklore texts. It is proved that the image of
a horse occupies one of the defining places within the system of zoomorphic
symbolism, revealing the ambivalent nature but, for the most part, the positive
functional load. It is generalized that among the animal figurative and symbolic system
of song folklore the image of a horse is marked by the highest level of aestheticization.
This image is diverse on both the formal and semantic levels. Even the unusual
morphological, actional and “social” characteristics of the horse are perceived as a
means of folk songs aestheticizing.
Key words: horse, image, symbol, figurative and symbolic system, zoomorphic
character, ethnoaesthetics, linguistic image.