Professional paper
Motifs of Czech legends in Božena Němcová’s fairy tales
Maja Verdonik
orcid.org/0000-0002-2677-5205
; Sveučilište u Rijeci, Učiteljski fakultet
Paola Rađa
Abstract
The paper connects the motifs of Czech legends in some of Božena Němcová’s fairy
tales by examining the available sources to shed light on their role in the context
of Czech national revival. Czech folk legends as a part of Czech folk literature
had a great influence on Božena Němcová’s literary work. The writer considered
them extremely important, and they were an inspiration for fairy tales with which
she wanted to awaken Czech national consciousness as an active member of the
Czech national revival. The results of comparing the motifs of some Czech legends
in the context of their connection with Božena Němcová’s fairy tales show the
frequent presence of the number three, characteristic family relationships – three
children in the family, the youngest of whom represents the correct moral values
accepted in society, then the use of pagan and Christian as well as motifs of Czech
culture such as singing and dancing.
Keywords
Božena Němcová; Czech national revival; Czech folk tales and legends.
Hrčak ID:
278909
URI
Publication date:
8.6.2022.
Visits: 649 *