Yakovleva, E. L. Baba Yaga as an Archetype of a Russian Woman

Abstract: The subject under research is the image of Baba Yaga associated with a particular type of a Russian woman. Yaga represents emotions, actions and behavior that demonstrate contradictory and unpredictable female nature and reflect different stereotypes of woman’s personality (a loving mother, a devilish woman and a heroic woman). Being related to the Great Mother, Baba Yaga is a remainder of matriarchal, patriarchal, shamanistic, animistic and totemic representations of the ancient picture of the world. This creates the complexity of the archetypical image but at the same time makes the archetypical image rather obscure due to the fact that Baba Yaga is usually shown as an old woman in those fairy tales that have survived. The main research methods used by the author of the article are the dialectic, historical, comparative and descriptive methods. Despite being just a lesser character in fairy tale plots, Baba Yaga plays a very important role in the main characters’ good fortune and help the main characters to undergo the initiation ceremony. This fairy tale character is enigmatic and powerful and represents the complexity, diversity and unpredictability of a fate of a Russian woman.

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