Heroes and heroism: Realization of the heroic paradigm in Scottish folktales
Heroes and heroism: Realization of the heroic paradigm in Scottish folktales

Summary/Abstract: In the context of the recent political processes in Britain, namely the Scottish Independence Referendum and the Brexit, the historical and cultural implications of national identity have become all too pressing. In this respect, studies of cultural concepts shaping national mentality have become relevant. The paper highlights the heroic paradigm as one of the core aspects of Scottish culture and as the driving force for preserving national identity. To understand the specific attitude of Scots towards heroes and heroism, the paper suggests looking into the concept of heroism and underlining its specific implications. By discussing heroism in folktales, the paper underlines its culture-specific components and the range of associations attached to this concept. It is assumed that knowledge of culture-specific meanings of heroism might be useful to shed light on the modernized perceptions of the concept of the hero and help reveal the role of the heroic paradigm in modern society.

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