Folk Image of Woman. the Perspective of Otherness. Folklore and Literature

Beata Walęciuk-Dejneka FOLK IMAGE OF WOMAN The Perspective of Otherness. Folklore and Literature Aureus Beata Walęciuk-Dejneka, Folk Image of Woman. The Perspective of Otherness. Folklore and Literature Copyright © by Beata Walęciuk-Dejneka Copyright © by Uniwersytet Przyrodniczo-Humanistyczny w Siedlcach 2018 Reviewed by dr hab. Zdzisław Kupisiński, SVD, prof. KUL dr hab. Ryszard Polak, prof. AWF Biała Podlaska/Warszawa dr hab. Marek Smoluk, prof. UZ Uniwersytet Zielonogórski Translated by Agnieszka Monies-Mizera Oleksandr Terez Proofreading: Marta Stempień Publikacja sfinansowana w ramach umowy 807/P-DUN/2016 ze środków Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego przeznaczonych na działalność upowszechniającą naukę. Wydawnictwo Aureus, Kraków 2018 www.e-aureus.pl e-mail: [email protected] ISBN 978-83-65765-21-5 Wydawnictwo Naukowe UP-H ISBN 978-83-7051-915-5 ark. wyd. 16,5 Table of contents Introduction 9 PART I The non-stereotypical, the different and the excluded: this world, the earth Chapter 1 Women of wisdom – midwives, healers, prophetesses 19 Chapter 2 Women “with no voices” – mourners, spinners/weavers, dancers 43 Chapter 3 Secular impurity and “daughter of the Earth” – Jagna Boryna, neé Pacześ 71 PART II The mysterious, the dangerous, the other: the other world, the water Chapter 4 Female demons of seduction: rusalki 91 Chapter 5 Romans with a sea maiden: mermaids 123 Chapter 6 Persecuted infidelity: dziwożony 146 Conclusion 165 Notes 167 Bibliography of Primary Sources 207 Bibliography of references (a selection) 211 And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (Ps. 23,6) Eternity of the dead lasts as long as they are paid with memory Wisława Szymborska, Rehabilitation TO MY MOTHER – KAZIMIERA WALĘCIUK Certainly there exist incarnations of the Other different from the woman; but the woman is always the Other. Simone de Beauvoir, The Other Sex Introduction Finding, revealing and studying the vision of the world and man in the traditional cultures of various communities leads to the emergence of cognitive comple- xes in a given culture, its specificity and properties, as well as to the formation of contemporary image of these presentations. Such a conviction, lying at the source of understanding the essence of any culture has already got its tradition in Polish humanist reflection1. In this sphere, the scientifically empty area remained the symbolic analysis and interpretation of the image of woman in traditional folk culture in the aspect of otherness (being different), where the procedures of giving meaning to the world to events, figures, gestures and words have been encoded. The idea of deciphering and presenting that image on the grounds of Polish traditional folklore in the Slavic context, as well as their literary realiza- tions, is undertaken by the foregoing study, suggesting an interdisciplinary approach to the subject (in the area of folklore studies as a science of verbal and nonverbal forms of presentation, as well as in the area of literary theory)2. The material basis of our divagations is formed by folcloric- etnographic sources (ma- inly Oskar Kolberg’s All works „Lud” and numerous field monographs, as well as other collections of 19th and early 20th century texts), as well as the selected literary works (inspired by folklore), zboth (romantic and neo-romantic), poetry and prose, characterized by representative presentations of the other femina, corresponding with folk images. The interest in magical culture, its domains, manifestations and models, is still valid and intriguing for people today – not only historians, anthropologists or folklorists. 10 Introduction Perhaps one of the reasons why they are interested in them is, – as Piotr Kowalski suggests – its exoticism and difference in imagination. The more one can feel tired with the civilization progress, achievements of mind and information overload in the technicized world, the more often clear images of the old literary culture seem to be. Another reason for the interest, or even fascination with traditional cultures is finding in them the idealized and desired paradise, as it is currently felt – irretrievably lost, which the world of primitive people and tribes seems to be. (…); publishing a novel or book about various experiences of the world, by people who perceive it in magical terms, turns into an important cultural event3 . A glance at folk character (the folk portrait of woman) from the perspective of otherness reveals the senses immersed in it, goes beyond the borders of knowledge, safety and order, because strangeness on one hand tempts, fascinates and enchants, while on the other it excludes, evokes fear and incomprehension. The- refore, is difficult to describe all sorts of understanding and defining otherness. This category, as multi-aspectual, diverse and heterogeneous, can be treated ambivalently in scientific studies. On one hand, it is perceived as a stigmatized feature that has become the reason for alienation, rejection and contempt aga- inst a given individual. On the other hand, it can be considered as an element of identity serving as an asylum to a given person, because it was frequently enti- tled to separate rights, principles, and norms, and changed, non-stereotypical perseverance and conduct became allowed4 . In meeting with strangeness, what seems an important issue is recognition of identity, acceptance, ability to create relationships, as well as one’s own identity, because otherness constitutes de- nial, negation, the other side of what is known. That is why a dialogue is always required when we stand up to it5. The discourse of difference presents situations where <the stupid philosopher> himself beco- mes a sort of a <philosophical> problem: the difference is good for thinking. A clash with it can make us realize different possible points of view upon the same aspects of everyday life, or more significant matters: morality, ethics, religiousness, etc. It creates an <ironic> perspective. Otherness does not become a source of authority, or an authentic mental or symbolic alter- native, but an attempt to understand it and cognitive problems which it poses, make us aware of possible alternatives6 . Researchers believe that the concept of otherness is indispensable to understand and present the mechanisms of excluding women, and their position as outsiders, those who were on the margin, between. In looking for the stem of feminininity, way of living and experiencing reality in different cultural discour- ses, including also the traditional awareness, the key issue is to assume the concept of „otherness as a cultural construct”7 . Such a structure (identity) of woman – the Other will make us able to show different kinds of understanding and defining her. On one hand, it will allow to prove why she was chosen, respected and predestined to the role of life-giver (in the literal and metaphorical sense, here and in the other world), while on the other, why, by breaking the taboo, Introduction 11 crossing the limit, escaping the patriarchal stereotypes and threatening the so- ciety, she frequently remained lonely and excluded, pushed outside the margin. There will always be a similar answer – because she remained „the One who knows”, „the Other”: „otherness – Kinga Gajda emphasizes – is a feature of the world and man, which comes to the front when discussing the characteristics of a given individual or group, frequently shown in opposition or on the basis of similarity to others”8 . Analyzing and investigating the problem of „folk otherness” from the whole field of multi-aspectuality, I chose one, focusing on understanding woman as the other9 . That perception is discussed here on two levels: as an individual „different than man”, different compared to man10 , which was determined by patriarchal nature of folk culture, where woman was in opposition to man, inferior towards him (as the subject), and also as a person who is different from stereo- typically modeled peasant women. In the context of folk otherness of women, what I am interested in, is the way of perceiving and treating her, based on the status recognized in this world, and the status in the other world formed by mythological-symbolic images. Therefore, I watch the tasks, privileges and du- ties assigned for her, ranks given to her and roles occupied by her, as well as fantastic imaginations and presentations, which always carry certain meanings with them. Together with her and by her a certain vision of the world and man was formed in the traditional folklore was formed, as well as rules of folk onto- logy and communicational systems (i.a. dialogue with transcendence)11 . The foundation of the traditional folk imagination, in the existence, was a dichotomous vision of Cosmos (this world and the other world), as well as the dialectics of the sacred and the profane based on it. The man perceived and interpreted the universe through a set of categories, imperatives and prohibi- tions, which guaranteed him a safe and harmonious life in this world, as well as a sense of calmness and certainty in persisting in the afterlife. Thus, he strived for stability and meaningfulness, for observing the rules, as well as for correct contact with the sacred. The woman, in turn, was the one located near liminal beings, on the outskirts of existence, on the brink of life and death. She herself was becoming a medium of nature’s harmony, a voice from the other world, and sometimes a personification of demonic supernatural forces. Revealing primary structures of magical imagination through the analysis and interpretation of various female figures allows grasping the essence in rural way of thinking that involves combining utilitarian and symbolic elements (du- ality of knowledge), important to the archaic stage of consciousness: rational, practical, mythological and ritual. I look at the conducted divagations and inve- stigations through a comparative: folkloristic and literary, or, sometimes more 12 Introduction extensively: cultural approach.

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