The Evil Stepmother and The Kind Stepdaughter as Archetypal Constructs in Cross-Cultural Folklore

Аннотация

This article offers a comparative investigation into the narrative representations of the evil stepmother and the kind stepdaughter in folk tales from diverse cultural traditions. The study employs a structural-semiotic methodology, integrating insights from folklore studies, anthropology, and psychoanalysis. Emphasis is placed on identifying recurring narrative motifs, symbolic functions, and the archetypal nature of these figures within their respective cultural frameworks. The research elucidates how such characters contribute to the encoding of moral values, social norms, and gender ideologies across societies. Furthermore, the study explores the socio-historical conditions that have shaped these images, highlighting their adaptability and persistence in oral and literary traditions.