Manifestarion of archetypes in the novel by A. France «The Gods Are Athirst»

Abstract

Aim. The article is devoted to the study of archetypes in the novel by the French writer-modernist Anatole France «The Gods Are Athirst» («Les Dieux ont soif», 1912). The aim of the article is to reveal archetypal images of Anima, Rescuer, Hero and Dragon in the text of the novel and to analyze their influence on the personality of the main character of the novel Evarist Gamlen.

Methods. In the investigation there has been used the system approach by means of archetypal criticism culture and historic method, psychoanalytic interpretation and intertextual analysis of the text. In the article there have been used the concepts of «collective unconscious», «archetype», «archetypal image», and others proposed by K. G. Jung in the analytical psychology.

Results. It was pointed out that in Anatole France’s novel «The Gods Are Athirst» had been represented the archetypal basis of the image creation. It was proved that such archetypes as Anima, Rescuer, Hero and Dragon, had been activated by collective unconscious during the Great French Revolution, destroyed the Evarist Gamlen personality, and lead him to the transformation into a bloodthirsty and ruthless fiend.

Scientific novelty. In the article, for the first time there has been analyzed Anatole France novel «The Gods Are Athirst» from the archetypical criticism point of view.

Pactical significance. The material of the article can be used for the study of French literature of the end of the 19th – beginning 20th centuries.