UDC 398.47
Polina Herchanivska
National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Kyiv
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3647-6265
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37627/2311-9489-28-2025-2.124-133
Keywords: archetype, witch, magic, sorcery, cultural memory, identity.
Abstract.
The semantic transformation of the archetypal image of the witch in Ukrainian culture is analyzed through the prism of historical, religious, gender, and sociocultural contexts. Its role in the formation of national identity and cultural memory is determined. Based on an interdisciplinary approach, an attempt is made to take the image of the witch beyond the boundaries of traditional folklore or ethnographic description and to understand how this phenomenon reflects the religious and social problems of traditional society. It is proven that the image of a witch in Ukrainian culture is not a relic of the past, but a living cultural marker, which in the conditions of Ukrainian religious dualism has been firmly integrated into the public discourse as an ambivalent figure that simultaneously frightens and attracts. The modern modification of this archetype is explored. In popular culture, digital platforms, and feminist practices, it appears as a symbol of strength, autonomy, and subjectification of women in the world.
Author’s biography.
Polina Herchanivska, Doctor of Cultural Studies, professor, Head of the Department of Cultural Studies, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Kyiv
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The article was received by the editorial office on 16.12.2025.
The article was accepted for publication after review on 26.12.2025.
The article was published on 31.12.2025.
Section: UKRAINIAN CULTURE.