Eru Ilúvatar : Jumala J.R.R. Tolkienin legendariumissa

The purpose of my research is to inquire into the essence and activity of God in the legendarium of the English philologist and writer J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973). The legendarium, composed of Tolkien’s writings related to Middle-earth, was begun when he created two Elvish languages, Quenya based on Finnish, Sindarin based on Welsh. Tolkien developed his mythology inspired by Germanic myths and The Kalevala. It is a fictional ancient history set in our world. The legendarium is monotheistic: God is called Eru ‘The One’ and Ilúvatar ‘Father of All’. Eru is the same as the Christian God, for Tolkien wanted to keep his tales consistent with his faith. He said his works were Christian by nature, with the religious element absorbed into the story and the symbolism. In The Silmarillion, set in the primeval ages of Middle-earth, the theological aspects are more conspicuous, while in The Lord of the Rings, which brings the stories to an end, they are mostly limited to symbolic references. The legendarium is unified by its realistic outlook on creaturely abilities and hope expressing itself as humbly defiant resistance. ”The possibility of complexity or of distinctions in the nature of Eru” is a part of the legendarium. Eru Ilúvatar is Trinitarian, as per Tolkien’s faith. Without contextual qualifiers, Eru seems to refer to God the Father, like God in the Bible. Being the creator who dwells outside the world is attributed to Him. The Holy Spirit is the only Person of the Trinity bestown with names: the Flame Imperishable and the Secret Fire. When Eru creates the material world with His word, He sends the Flame Imperishable to burn at the heart of the world. The Secret Fire signifies the Creative Power that belongs to God alone, and is a part of Him. The Son, the Word, is not directly mentioned, but according to one writing Eru must step inside the world in order to save it from corruption, yet remain outside it at the same time. The inner structure of the legendarium refers to the need for a future salvation. The creative word of Eru, “Eä! Let these things Be!”, probably has a connection with the Logos in Christianity. Thus we can find three “distinctions” in Eru: a Creator who dwells outside the world, a Sustainer who dwells inside it and a Redeemer who shall step inside it. Some studies of Tolkien have claimed that Eru is distant and remote. This seems to hold water only partially. Ilúvatar, the Father of All, has a special relation with the Eruhíni, His Children, the immortal Elves and the mortal Men. He communicates with them directly only through the Valar, who resemble archangels. Nevertheless, only the Children of Eru can fight against evil, because their tragic fortunes turn evil into good. Even though religious activities are scarce among them, the fundamental faith and ultimate hope of the “Free Peoples” is directed towards Eru. He is present in the drama of history as the “Author of the Story”, who at times also interferes with its course through catastrophes and eucatastrophes, ‘good catastrophes’. Eru brings about a catastrophe when evil would otherwise bring good to an end, and He brings about a eucatasrophe when creaturely strength is not sufficent for victory. Victory over corruption is especially connected with mortal Men, of whom the most (or least) insignificant people are the Hobbits. However, because of the “primeval disaster” (that is, fall) of Mankind, ultimate salvation can only remain open, a hope for the far future.

Human genetic variation in the Baltic Sea region: Features of population history and natural selection

In this thesis, the genetic variation of human populations from the Baltic Sea region was studied in order to elucidate population history as well as evolutionary adaptation in this region. The study provided novel understanding of how the complex population level processes of migration, genetic drift, and natural selection have shaped genetic variation in North European populations. Results from genome-wide, mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosomal analyses suggested that the genetic background of the populations of the Baltic Sea region lies predominantly in Continental Europe, which is consistent with earlier studies and archaeological evidence. The late settlement of Fennoscandia after the Ice Age and the subsequent small population size have led to pronounced genetic drift, especially in Finland and Karelia but also in Sweden, evident especially in genome-wide and Y-chromosomal analyses. Consequently, these populations show striking genetic differentiation, as opposed to much more homogeneous pattern of variation in Central European populations. Additionally, the eastern side of the Baltic Sea was observed to have experienced eastern influence in the genome-wide data as well as in mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosomal variation – consistent with linguistic connections. However, Slavic influence in the Baltic Sea populations appears minor on genetic level. While the genetic diversity of the Finnish population overall was low, genome-wide and Y-chromosomal results showed pronounced regional differences. The genetic distance between Western and Eastern Finland was larger than for many geographically distant population pairs, and provinces also showed genetic differences. This is probably mainly due to the late settlement of Eastern Finland and local isolation, although differences in ancestral migration waves may contribute to this, too. In contrast, mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosomal analyses of the contemporary Swedish population revealed a much less pronounced population structure and a fusion of the traces of ancient admixture, genetic drift, and recent immigration. Genome-wide datasets also provide a resource for studying the adaptive evolution of human populations. This study revealed tens of loci with strong signs of recent positive selection in Northern Europe. These results provide interesting targets for future research on evolutionary adaptation, and may be important for understanding the background of disease-causing variants in human populations.

La música en la fiesta del dios Xipe Totec

In Aztec mythology and religion, Xipe Totec ("our lord the flayed one") was a life-death-rebirth deity, god of agriculture, vegetation, the east, disease, spring, goldsmiths, silversmiths and the seasons. The music used for his worship has been described by a diversity of documents (carved stones, depicted codices, and chronicles made by the first European friars arrived to Mexico). This article explores the symbolic content of these descriptions, especially in association with Xochipilli Macuilxochitl, master of music and poetry.

Paganism, Traditionalism, Nationalism : Narratives of Russian Rodnoverie

The topic of this dissertation is Rodnoverie, a religion that revives pre-Christian Slavic spirituality. Rodnoverie has been noted to be one of the fastest growing new religions in Russia and the aim of the study is to analyse why and how the movement has attained its popularity. First, the analysis asks how Rodnovers themselves explain the revival of ancient Paganism at this particular historical moment. Secondly, these interpretations are reflected in the framework of sociological discussions about contemporary religiosity. The analysis discusses how the Rodnoverie movement corresponds to some tendencies that are considered to characterise late modern religiosity. The primary material of the research is Rodnoverie texts: books, newspapers and electronic articles. The published literature is supplemented by fieldwork material which includes interviews with some Rodnoverie leaders and the author s participant observation of rituals and gatherings. Methodologically, the study draws on a sociological narrative approach that is focused on examining how individuals and groups use narratives to construct their identities and to challenge mainstream discussions and interpretations. The analysis discerns three narratives. The first one of these portrays Rodnoverie as a revival of the native Russian or Slavic religion. The narrative provides a new version of the old Slavophile idea, according to which imitation of the West has misguided Russia and, therefore, Russians should turn to their own tradition. In the second narrative, Rodnoverie is presented as a nature religion that features tolerance and pluralistic values. According to these perceptions, the emergence of Rodnoverie marks the dead-end of the earlier hegemonic universalistic world-views, the mono-ideologies . While the nationalist narrative focuses on Russia s national heritage, the third narrative interprets the tradition in more universal terms as an alternative to modern values and way of life. The main argument of this narrative is that contemporary people have become alienated from nature, their roots and their community. The themes that are discussed in the theoretical literature on late modern religiosity often configure in Rodnovers interpretations either directly or when looked at through an analytical framework. Of the various themes that are addressed in a sociological study of religion the ones that have most relevance for Rodnoverie are the discussions on individualisation, globalisation and secularisation. Rodnoverie reflects such tendencies as the subjectivisation of religion and the modern crisis of authority. The movement also both exemplifies and actively promotes religious pluralisation in Russia.

Bacantes de Eurípides: Felicidad iniciática y furia salvaje en el cortejo femenino de Dioniso

404 p. E-mail de contacto del autor: jbreviatti@yahoo.es

Cavaleiros das trevas: um estudo mítico das histórias em quadrinhos de super-heróis

As histórias em quadrinhos são um gênero narrativo que, nos últimos anos, alcançou enorme espaço. Este trabalho aborda, primeiramente, o problema da linguagem dos quadrinhos, a partir de sua articulação híbrida entre texto e imagem. Posteriormente, apresentamos alguns elementos que constituem a estética dos quadrinhos. Estudamos também as estruturas mitológicas imanentes ao gênero super-herói para desenvolver uma história arquetípica das histórias em quadrinhos. Assim, o problema dos arquétipos é abordado de forma mais abrangente, associada a conceitos filosóficos, propriamente narrativos e históricos com relação ao objeto de arte história em quadrinhos. Por último, fazemos uma análise de um caso particular, demonstrando como um arquétipo é trabalhado nesse gênero narrativo

Publicidad y cultura : una relación de carácter internacional

En el trabajo que nos ocupa analizaremos la relación entre diversos ámbitos culturales y la publicidad internacional audiovisual. En la publicidad audiovisual, como la televisiva, las imágenes cargadas de valor simbólico son determinantes para el posicionamiento de una marca y para llegar a la mente del consumidor. A lo largo del estudio relacionaremos el simbolismo de estas imágenes con la mitología y la música para acercarnos a emociones universales que faciliten la relación entre la marca y el consumidor, o bien, entre el spot publicitario y el espectador. En el ámbito internacional, donde se encuentran personas con identidades culturales muy diferentes, y desde una perspectiva comunicacional sería de gran utilidad conocer aspectos comunes en la mente de todo ser humano que favoreciesen la estandarización y sus consecuentes sinergias.

Orígenes indoeuropeos (y no indoeuropeos) de la vocal [y] eslava

[ES] La vocal 'y' de las lenguas eslavas procede esencialmente de i.e. *ū. Pero en el dominio de la flexión tanto nominal como verbal se puede encontrar asimismo una vocal 'y' de origen intraeslavo y derivada de diversas secuencias en final de palabra. Al estudio de estas evoluciones así como al análisis de los distintos estratos de préstamos léxicos que incrementan la presencia de la vocal y en el léxico eslavo se dedica buena parte de este trabajo. En él se rastrean, además, los datos comparativos e internos que permiten detectar otro origen para la vocal eslava 'y' los diptongos i.e. *ou y *au.

O Vampiro Camaleônico: uma análise de Drácula em suas múltiplas encarnações na Literatura e Cinema

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar a imagem de Drácula ao longo de seus mais 100 anos de existência em nossa cultura, sobretudo em suas representações nos meios literários e audiovisuais. Buscamos traçar as transformações do personagem e de sua história ao longo de um grande percurso de incursões cinematográficas. Para isso iniciaremos um debate sobre a imagem do vampiro, sua origem e suas diversas evoluções desenvolvendo o que chamamos aqui de Mitologia Vampírica, aproveitando para apresentar o estudo das materialidades como um complemento metodológico às clássicas análises já existentes. Em seguida, traremos o vampiro para a literatura, destacando o livro de Stoker como o mais importante vampiro da história. Drácula, embora seja um produto literário, alcança seu ápice no meio audiovisual como um dos personagens mais representados e uma das histórias mais adaptadas como veremos através de uma pequena arqueologia de suas aparições no cinema. Para finalizar nosso estudo, nos aprofundaremos na análise de 5 filmes, que julgamos ser os mais pertinentes dentro de todas as transposições fílmicas até então feitas sobre o livro de Bram Stoker

'What Foes more dang'rous than too strong Allies?': Anglo-Welsh relations in eighteenth-century London

Prescott, Sarah, ''What Foes more dang'rous than too strong Allies?': Anglo-Welsh relations in eighteenth-century London', The Huntington Library Quarterly (2006) 69 (4) pp.535-554 RAE2008

Johnny's in the Basement: Keats, Bob Dylan and Influence

Marggraf Turley, Richard, 'Johnny's in the Basement: Keats, Bob Dylan and Influence', In: 'The Monstrous Debt: Modalities of Romantic Influence in Twentieth Century Literature', (Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press), pp.181-204, 2006 RAE2008

Osobliwości środkowoeuropejskiej przestrzeni literackiej: ironiczni moraliści i ludyczni myśliciele

Autorka, stawiając pytanie o zasadność pojęcia Europy Środkowej, przypomina historię różnic poglądowych pomiędzy czeskimi a polskimi uczonymi na temat (nie)istnienia wspólnoty na tym terytorium: ci pierwsi w XIX wieku głosili ideę panslawizmu, w 30-tych latach XX wieku potrzebę syntezy kultur i literatur słowiańskich, a po II wojnie światowej przeciwstawiali słowiańskość Zachodowi, co wywoływało krytykę tych drugich. Stąd wynika odmienne rozumienie obszaru środkowoeuropejskiego – w Czechach przeważnie lokowanego w granicach Austro-Węgier, zaś w Polsce pojmowanego znacznie szerzej. Natomiast pewnego rodzaju spójny wyróżnik Europy Środkowej można znaleźć w literaturze, przytaczany bywa szczególnie gatunek powieści (np. Kafki, Haška, Musila, Gombrowicza), poprzedzony – jak przypomina autorka – polską gawędą i popularnym w Polsce szkicem fizjologicznym. Zawarty w nich element humoru, przeszedł w stadium satyry, a następnie groteski, tworząc dzięki temu niepowtarzalny odcień humoru środkowoeuropejskiego, często określanego jako drugi wyróżnik omawianego terytorium. Zdaniem autorki, środkowoeuropejska specyfika ściśle związana jest z kodem euroatlantyckim, a w tym właśnie kontekście zawsze powinna być rozpatrywana.

Rola stereotypów w komunikacji międzykulturowej biznesowej: studium porównawcze polsko-ukraińskie

Wydział Neofilologia: Katedra Ekokomunikacji