Jan A Kozák | Charles University, Prague (original) (raw)
Books by Jan A Kozák
![Research paper thumbnail of Monomýtus: Syntetické pojednání o teorii mýtu [Monomyth: A Synthetic Treatise on the Theory of Myth]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/84403320/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Monomýtus: Syntetické pojednání o teorii mýtu, 2021
A monograph on the theory of myth. The first section analyzes the relationship of myth to the wor... more A monograph on the theory of myth. The first section analyzes the relationship of myth to the world, presenting various theories of the meaning and function of myth; the second section is called "Myth and Language" and focuses on the use of metaphor, metonymy and other tropes in myth and connects it to the framework of conceptual metaphors; the third chapter is called "Myth and Otherness" and focuses on the relationship of myth to the things beyond the bounds of symbolic system; the fourth chapter is called "The Monomyth of the Twice-Born" and concerns itself with the communication between This World and Otherworld in the form of initiation, sacrifice and hero's journey; the last chapter "Myth and Paradox" uncovers the paradoxical core of myth and its creative and re-creative power. [the present pdf contains only a sample of the whole text with parts left out]
![Research paper thumbnail of Sága o Hervaře: Komentář [The Saga of Hervör: A Commentary]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/82986262/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Sága o Hervaře: Komentář [The Saga of Hervör: A Commentary], 2009
A commentary volume to my bilingual edition of the Hervarar saga. It contains five separate studi... more A commentary volume to my bilingual edition of the Hervarar saga. It contains five separate studies into various aspects of the saga with the aim to bring to the reader as much as possible from the scholarly literature and discussions that has been published until then. The chapters are:
- "Riddles, Runes and the Secret Language of the Skalds" where the the genre of riddles is explored in the context of medieval Europe, followed by the exploration of the role of metaphor in riddling, but also in skaldic kennings. Then the riddling contest from the saga is explored and connected to its parallels in Old Norse literature;
- "Narrative Structure of Hervarar saga", here the structure of the saga is thoroughly explored and analyzed building on the impressive work of Torfi Tulinius and adding to it,
- "The Maiden and the Sword of Destiny", in this chapter the motif of the warrior maidens and shieldmaidens as well as the meykóngr phenomenon is analyzed and connected to the patriarchal idea of virginity as "noncastrated" state equalling to masculinity; also the role of the ancestral sword is explored in the context of the saga genre
- "Gudmund, Mound-Flame and the Otherworld", here the whole concept of the journeys to the Otherworld is systematically introduced and various forms of Otherness and borders of the Otherworld is explored
- "The Fratricidal Battle, Odin and Eschatology", here the historical roots of the final battle (The Battle of the Goths and Huns) is presented as well as the mythological motifs appearing in connection with the battle (i.e. Ódin's role as the originator of the strife)
[For those who don't read Czech. but would like to use the text, I recommend using DeepL for translating the whole text to English]
Sága o Hervaře / Hervarar saga, 2008
Old Norse - Czech bilingual edition of 'Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks konungs ins vitra', complete wi... more Old Norse - Czech bilingual edition of 'Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks konungs ins vitra', complete with critical apparatus, footnotes, introduction and appendices (family trees of the saga characters, differences between the saga manuscripts etc.). The introduction presents first the Old Norse-Icelandic literature to the reader, then focuses on the saga genre, then specifically on the fornaldarsaga subgenre. Then the saga itself is introduced, its features, like the famous poems Hervararkviða and Hlöðskviða and the unique Old Norse collection of riddles, the Heiðreks gátur. The introduction also contains information about the manuscripts of the saga and presents a stemma. Then follows a chapter discussing the problems of translation (of Old Norse-Icelandic verse, of names) into Czech. The bilingual edition of the saga text itself contains both critical apparatus (based on the Jón Helgason complete edition and Christopher Tolkien's bilingual edition) and footnotes explaining and contextualizing toponyms, anthroponyms and folklore, mythological or literary motifs.
Ódin: Mýtus, oběť a iniciace, 2017
"Odin: Myth, Sacrifice and Initiation" is first Czech monograph devoted solely to Old Norse Relig... more "Odin: Myth, Sacrifice and Initiation" is first Czech monograph devoted solely to Old Norse Religion. It provides the reader on the one hand with an introductory overview of the cultural context, myths and rituals of pre-Christian Scandinavia of the Viking Age (as seen through the lens of post-christianization writing) and on the other hand an exposition focusing on the most prominent Norse deity - Odin. The author presents various myths, where Odin plays the role of the protagonist, and links various structural and motivic parallels into a network of meaningful connections. Apparently dissimilar myths - e.g. Odin's solitary self-sacrifice on the Cosmic Tree and his adventurous quest for the Mead of Poetry - are shown to revolve around common semantic and structural core, Monomyth, which is the common denominator of sacrificial and initiatory structure and of the "cosmogony by murder" pattern.
Papers by Jan A Kozák
Tvar, 2020
The legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien extends far beyond literature, blending mythology, linguistics, and ... more The legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien extends far beyond literature, blending mythology, linguistics, and spiritual insights. In Czechoslovakia, The Hobbit was the only Tolkien work permitted under communism, reinterpreted as an allegory supporting regime ideals. However, The Lord of the Rings, banned for its subversive themes, thrived in underground samizdat editions, where hand-copied manuscripts became treasured artifacts of dissent. Tolkien's cosmology, deeply monotheistic yet influenced by polytheism and gnosticism, envisions a flawed world shaped by the rebellion of Melkor, echoing themes of fractured creation found in gnostic traditions. This mythological depth resonates even today, inspiring not only literature but also new spiritual movements. Tolkien’s vision of Arda, a world imbued with the tension between divine harmony and corruption, serves as both a metaphorical critique of modernity’s disenchanted progress and a framework for understanding human striving and hope. Through these layers, Tolkien’s work bridges ancient myth, modern resistance, and emerging religious interpretations.
![Research paper thumbnail of Depresivní společnost a konspirační teorie [The Depressive Society and Conspiracy Theories]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/117323344/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Depresivní společnost [The Depressive Society], 2024
The chapter offers a map of the historical development of the phenomenon of conspiracy theories i... more The chapter offers a map of the historical development of the phenomenon of conspiracy theories in three major stages: 1) conspiracy theories in early modern era aimed at marginalized groups (Jews, witches), 2) conspiracy theories in classical modernity as a "safe paranoia" with clear enemy (freemasons, communists), 3) conspiracy theories in postmodern era which doubt everything ("unsafe paranoia"). The last stage of conspiracism coincides with the decades of rising prevalence of depression in society. Although correlation is not causation, both phenomena might be two different reactions to the same bundle of societal problems: the disappearance of grand narratives that would give life meaning, the rising complexity and the intransparence of society.
![Research paper thumbnail of Od čeho jsme se odřízli: cena za vítězství domestikovaného myšlení [What We Have Cut Ourselves Off From: The Price of the Victory of Domesticated Thought]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/117322804/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Depresivní společnost [The Depressive Society], 2024
The chapter argues that the current preference for domesticated, rational thought has led to a di... more The chapter argues that the current preference for domesticated, rational thought has led to a disconnection from and denial of the irrational aspects of human existence, which are not cultivated, but rather repressed. An analogy is built between an individual and a society: in an individual, according to analytical psychology, depression is caused by cutting off from the unconscious. The chapter offers a hypothesis that similar process happens to the society as a whole, the cause of it is the overemphasis on rationality and the result is the rising prevalence of depression and other disorders, contributing to a pervasive sense of depression in society.
Handbook of the Philosophy of Climate Change, 2023
The article offers a new perspective on environmental narratives, viewing them through the prism ... more The article offers a new perspective on environmental narratives, viewing them through the prism of ‘social myths’. Social myths, usually based on factual information (like historical or scientific data) are constructions that can inspire strong moods and motivations in people and have a nature akin to sacredness for those that participate in their worldview. In this text the author presents two major lineages that contribute to the historical development of contemporary environmental ideas – on the one hand the holistic, mystical, animistic undercurrent of European thought associated with Romanticism and on the other the Protestantism, especially Calvinism, with its focus on sin and asceticism. Based on both primary and secondary literature the main mythemes of environmentalism are postulated and overviewed: the image of the “Fall,” the disruption of natural harmony by first the agricultural revolution and later technology, visions of the looming apocalypse, the opposition of (Cartesian) dualism and (eco-friendly) holism, and the opposition of sacred (wild) space and the profane (urban), corresponding to the opposition of pure to polluted and healthy to unhealthy. These mythemes are then connected to specific ritual-like phenomena, e.g. dietary practices or consumer behaviour, as well as to impactful life-choices (e.g. the choice of not having children).
Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, 2023
The article compares two myths found in the Poetic Edda — Óðinn’s quest of the Mead of Poetry and... more The article compares two myths found in the Poetic Edda — Óðinn’s quest of the Mead of Poetry and Vǫlundr’s captivity and escape — and finds a series of analogies between both narratives: in both cases the protagonist is first tricked or left by a woman and afterwards he himself tricks and leaves a woman. In both cases the hero attempts at reaching his goal by hard work, which does not lead to success and then resorts to trickery, which brings success. Óðinn as well as Vǫlundr undergo (either literal or symbolic) snake metamorphosis and a bird metamorphosis. Both myths end with pregnancy, one literal and one symbolic. This complex analogy is then interpreted via the exploration of the mythological context and by revisitation of similar episodes in other myths. One of the recurrent ideas stressed in the article is the thesis that myths work like Rorschach blots and that we cannot ‘solve’ them by finding their ‘meaning’, we should rather study their form so we better understand their ability to evocate a multitude of meanings.
Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies, 2023
Chapter summarizing the various major theories connected to the theme of the Hero's Journey (or H... more Chapter summarizing the various major theories connected to the theme of the Hero's Journey (or Heroic Narrative Pattern, Monomyth etc.), presenting the models and explanations for the emergence of the narrative pattern. Beside the most famous authors - Rank, Raglan, Campbell, Propp - the chapter adds three more sections, one on the work of Jean Joseph Goux, one on the topic of the female heroine (which is sadly missing in all the older authors) and one on the topic of initiation structure.
Central European Journal of Contemporary Religion, 2021
The following text aims to offer and illustrate a new concept for grasping the phenomenon of cons... more The following text aims to offer and illustrate a new concept for grasping the phenomenon of conspiracy theories. Based on field research in the form of semi-structured interviews and previous research, it provides a triadic schema for navigating the conspiracy landscape and understanding the transformations and functions that conspiracy theories provide to their adherents. After introducing the topic, the first part of the text briefly summarises previous research relevant to the article and describes the theoretical position on which it is based. Subsequently, it uses H. S. Versnel’s schema to introduce the three levels of meaning of conspiracy narratives: substantivist, functionalist, and cosmological.
It then concludes by reflecting on the possible applications of this framework and its relevance for future research.
Central European Journal of Contemporary Religion, 2021
The article thematically and structurally analyses a group of films usually designated as "gnosti... more The article thematically and structurally analyses a group of films usually designated as "gnostic films". These films share a common ideology as they postulate the existence of two worlds-one illusory and the other true. The hero must escape the false world and reach the true one. As the majority of gnostic films appeared at the turn of the millennium, the article also suggests what contributed to the emergence of these films. As the cosmology of the films bears a close similarity to the cosmology of conspiracy theories, the emergence of the films is shown to be a part of the sociocultural development of the conspiracist mindset entering the mainstream. In the 1990s, conspiracism was out of the closet and gained popularity, but it was not yet perceived as an imminent societal threat and therefore was not a taboo for Hollywood filmmakers. The 1990s were also the decade of a unipolar world order where the absence of an inimical Other engendered anxiety about the system itself, which is reflected in the analysed films.
Handbook of Philosophy of Climate Change, 2023
Within the confines of human culture, phenomena like climate change or biodiversity loss are inte... more Within the confines of human culture, phenomena like climate change or biodiversity loss are integrated in powerful narratives that belong to the category of social myths. Social myths (very often based on historical or scientific facts) possess an authority akin to sacredness and can inspire strong moods and motivations in people. In this chapter, the scholarly debate on climate change activism as a form of religion with its own mythology is reviewed. The review is then followed by a closer look at the historical origin and development of environmental ideas and mythemes in the context of the climate change debate. Two main lineages are offered by scholarship: on the one hand Romanticism, Transcendentalism and by extension the holistic, mystical, animistic and “pagan” undercurrent of European thought, on the other Protestantism, especially Calvinism, with its focus on sin and asceticism. The main mythemes are then presented: the image of the “Fall”, the disruption of natural harmony by first the agricultural revolution and later technology; the visions of the looming apocalypse; the opposition of (Cartesian) dualism and (eco-friendly) holism; the opposition of sacred (wild) space and the profane (urban), corresponding to the opposition of pure to polluted and healthy to unhealthy. The mythemes are then connected to specific secular ritual practices – diets, consumer behaviours etc. – and situated in the wider context of contemporary culture.
Hradiště Hradec u Levína: Výsledky archeologického výzkumu (2022–2023), 2023
The chapter (written in Czech) briefly summarizes the thin and speculative information we have on... more The chapter (written in Czech) briefly summarizes the thin and speculative information we have on the topic of rituals connected to winter solstice practiced by continental pre-Christian Germanic peoples. As we have almost no sources in this regard we have to turn either to Old Norse literary sources or to late folklore for comparative material. The chapter does not attempt to produce any reconstruction, it just overviews what we have in Old Norse textual sources and selected motifs from later folklore and it leaves the reader to make their own extrapolations into the unknown past.
CENTRAL EUROPEAN JOURNAL FOR CONTEMPORARY RELIGION
Book review on Hošek, Pavel, Sloužím Tajnému ohni: Duchovní zdroje literární tvorby J.R.R. Tolkie... more Book review on Hošek, Pavel, Sloužím Tajnému ohni: Duchovní zdroje literární tvorby J.R.R. Tolkiena [I Am a Servant of Secret Fire: Spiritual Sources of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Literary Work], Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury 2019, 191 p.
Viking and Medieval Scandinavia (VMS), 2021
Two myths that describe Óðinn’s quest for the Sacred Mead are presented side by side in Hávamál –... more Two myths that describe Óðinn’s quest for the Sacred Mead are presented side by side in Hávamál – the myth of the self-sacrifice on the Tree and the journey to Suttungr’s hall. While their protagonist, the quest and the boon are their connecting points, their content is otherwise completely different and the myths are usually interpreted as two unconnected stories. Their difference could be expressed as a series of oppositions: simple-complex, static-dynamic, passive-active etc. Their contrast is so pronounced that it paradoxically seems to point to their deeper connection. This text presents an interpretation that connects both myths and explains their systematic contrast. It uses Snorri’s description of a trance state ascribed to Óðinn and shows how one of the myths corresponds to the situation of the symbolically dead body while the other myth corresponds to the active aspect of the person travelling to the Otherworld. The pattern applied on the two Odinic myths is then analysed and other applications are suggested.
Temenos, 2021
The article explores the idea of an echo, both literal and structural, that connects Old Norse co... more The article explores the idea of an echo, both literal and structural, that connects Old Norse cosmogony and eschatology. The motif of a bellowing sound or cry appears in cosmogony in the figure of Ymir, 'Crier', who is killed by the AEsir, and from his body the world is created. During the eschatological events the booming sound recurs when Heimdallr blows his horn shortly before the AEsir themselves are killed by their adversaries. A cry is also emitted by Óðinn when he sacrifices himself on the Cosmic Tree. The booming bellow is thus associated with death, especially in the context of implicit or explicit sacrifice. The structural resonance between cosmogony and eschatology is composed of a series of five motifs that reappear in the same sequence at both liminal moments. The eschatology seems to be structurally a repetition of the cosmogony, but with inverted roles: the victims are the gods, and the sacrificers are the giants, which is the inverse of the situation during the cosmogony. The present analysis sheds light on the sacrificial pattern hidden behind the two events, and helps contextualize the motif of the mighty sound that reappears at both moments in cosmic history.
Project Repository Journal, 2020
This is a dissemination article summing up some of the core ideas of my Marie Sklodowska-Curie pr... more This is a dissemination article summing up some of the core ideas of my Marie Sklodowska-Curie project Symbodin while sketching the wider context of the role of myth in European culture.
Secular rituals are usually not perceived as rituals by the majority of secular Westerners. Schol... more Secular rituals are usually not perceived as rituals by the majority of secular Westerners. Scholars usually are aware of their ritual nature, but rarely use the same language as they use when discussing prototypical religious rituals. In the process of our early age socialization and later education we are installed into our symbolic system, which is internalized and becomes transparent, invisible. The by-product of this process is that we learn to overlook the myths and rituals of contemporary secular culture, and we label them as something of different nature.
Secular Westerners curiously observe colourful rituals of e.g. an African tribe, calling it “religion” (contrasting with their non-religiousness) as if something so “weird” and “superstitious” was completely alien to their rational secular life – all the while the Westerners themselves perform even more elaborate and grandiose (and weird) rituals. For instance, as part of the secular Christmas celebration most people put a sacrificed tree inside their house and adorn it (in a way reminding us of the adornment of sacrificial victim in Classical Antiquity or some parts of today’s India). In the months before the ritual itself they participate in zealous acquisition of gifts (which massively influences Western culture and economy), performing another version of symbolic sacrifice (sacrificing their money). The rite itself is enacted with a day of feasting and copious gift-giving comparable to the Potlatch feasts. In contrast to typical Potlatch they don’t practice the destruction of property, but the feature of abundant “giving away” is similar.
The paper presents a specific reading of several secular or secularized rituals (Christmas, New Year, rituals of the World War II rememberance etc.) showing their similarity to prototypical religious rituals and emphasizing the camouflaged presence of potent ritual elements (sacrifice, liminality, reenactment of mythic images etc.).
Conference paper offering a series of complementary theoretical perspectives on the motif of brea... more Conference paper offering a series of complementary theoretical perspectives on the motif of breaking into a burial mound known from the Old Norse literature. This motif is surprisingly common and it usually follows a specific structure. Both the popularity and the relative constancy of the form invite an explanation or interpretation.
The paper applies series of concepts from the Religious Studies classics like Claude Lévi-Strauss, Arnold van Gennep, Mircea Eliade, Victor Turner, Sigmund Freud, Rudolf Otto, Émile Durkheim and C.G. Jung to show how they are all useful to certain extent as interpretive paradigms. The paper is thus a kind of exercise in theoretical flexibility and interdisciplinarity (combining psychology, anthropology, phenomenology of religion, sociology and structuralism). The burial mound pattern is linked repeatedly to initiatory structure and to the monomyth structure of hero's "there and back again" quest.
The contemporary "Dungeons and Dragons"-type games (hero exploring a dangerous Otherworld, typically underground, killing monster guardians and discovering magic treasures) are suggested as a modern counterpart to the discussed pattern, fitting the same form and function.
Monomýtus: Syntetické pojednání o teorii mýtu, 2021
A monograph on the theory of myth. The first section analyzes the relationship of myth to the wor... more A monograph on the theory of myth. The first section analyzes the relationship of myth to the world, presenting various theories of the meaning and function of myth; the second section is called "Myth and Language" and focuses on the use of metaphor, metonymy and other tropes in myth and connects it to the framework of conceptual metaphors; the third chapter is called "Myth and Otherness" and focuses on the relationship of myth to the things beyond the bounds of symbolic system; the fourth chapter is called "The Monomyth of the Twice-Born" and concerns itself with the communication between This World and Otherworld in the form of initiation, sacrifice and hero's journey; the last chapter "Myth and Paradox" uncovers the paradoxical core of myth and its creative and re-creative power. [the present pdf contains only a sample of the whole text with parts left out]
Sága o Hervaře: Komentář [The Saga of Hervör: A Commentary], 2009
A commentary volume to my bilingual edition of the Hervarar saga. It contains five separate studi... more A commentary volume to my bilingual edition of the Hervarar saga. It contains five separate studies into various aspects of the saga with the aim to bring to the reader as much as possible from the scholarly literature and discussions that has been published until then. The chapters are:
- "Riddles, Runes and the Secret Language of the Skalds" where the the genre of riddles is explored in the context of medieval Europe, followed by the exploration of the role of metaphor in riddling, but also in skaldic kennings. Then the riddling contest from the saga is explored and connected to its parallels in Old Norse literature;
- "Narrative Structure of Hervarar saga", here the structure of the saga is thoroughly explored and analyzed building on the impressive work of Torfi Tulinius and adding to it,
- "The Maiden and the Sword of Destiny", in this chapter the motif of the warrior maidens and shieldmaidens as well as the meykóngr phenomenon is analyzed and connected to the patriarchal idea of virginity as "noncastrated" state equalling to masculinity; also the role of the ancestral sword is explored in the context of the saga genre
- "Gudmund, Mound-Flame and the Otherworld", here the whole concept of the journeys to the Otherworld is systematically introduced and various forms of Otherness and borders of the Otherworld is explored
- "The Fratricidal Battle, Odin and Eschatology", here the historical roots of the final battle (The Battle of the Goths and Huns) is presented as well as the mythological motifs appearing in connection with the battle (i.e. Ódin's role as the originator of the strife)
[For those who don't read Czech. but would like to use the text, I recommend using DeepL for translating the whole text to English]
Sága o Hervaře / Hervarar saga, 2008
Old Norse - Czech bilingual edition of 'Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks konungs ins vitra', complete wi... more Old Norse - Czech bilingual edition of 'Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks konungs ins vitra', complete with critical apparatus, footnotes, introduction and appendices (family trees of the saga characters, differences between the saga manuscripts etc.). The introduction presents first the Old Norse-Icelandic literature to the reader, then focuses on the saga genre, then specifically on the fornaldarsaga subgenre. Then the saga itself is introduced, its features, like the famous poems Hervararkviða and Hlöðskviða and the unique Old Norse collection of riddles, the Heiðreks gátur. The introduction also contains information about the manuscripts of the saga and presents a stemma. Then follows a chapter discussing the problems of translation (of Old Norse-Icelandic verse, of names) into Czech. The bilingual edition of the saga text itself contains both critical apparatus (based on the Jón Helgason complete edition and Christopher Tolkien's bilingual edition) and footnotes explaining and contextualizing toponyms, anthroponyms and folklore, mythological or literary motifs.
Ódin: Mýtus, oběť a iniciace, 2017
"Odin: Myth, Sacrifice and Initiation" is first Czech monograph devoted solely to Old Norse Relig... more "Odin: Myth, Sacrifice and Initiation" is first Czech monograph devoted solely to Old Norse Religion. It provides the reader on the one hand with an introductory overview of the cultural context, myths and rituals of pre-Christian Scandinavia of the Viking Age (as seen through the lens of post-christianization writing) and on the other hand an exposition focusing on the most prominent Norse deity - Odin. The author presents various myths, where Odin plays the role of the protagonist, and links various structural and motivic parallels into a network of meaningful connections. Apparently dissimilar myths - e.g. Odin's solitary self-sacrifice on the Cosmic Tree and his adventurous quest for the Mead of Poetry - are shown to revolve around common semantic and structural core, Monomyth, which is the common denominator of sacrificial and initiatory structure and of the "cosmogony by murder" pattern.
Tvar, 2020
The legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien extends far beyond literature, blending mythology, linguistics, and ... more The legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien extends far beyond literature, blending mythology, linguistics, and spiritual insights. In Czechoslovakia, The Hobbit was the only Tolkien work permitted under communism, reinterpreted as an allegory supporting regime ideals. However, The Lord of the Rings, banned for its subversive themes, thrived in underground samizdat editions, where hand-copied manuscripts became treasured artifacts of dissent. Tolkien's cosmology, deeply monotheistic yet influenced by polytheism and gnosticism, envisions a flawed world shaped by the rebellion of Melkor, echoing themes of fractured creation found in gnostic traditions. This mythological depth resonates even today, inspiring not only literature but also new spiritual movements. Tolkien’s vision of Arda, a world imbued with the tension between divine harmony and corruption, serves as both a metaphorical critique of modernity’s disenchanted progress and a framework for understanding human striving and hope. Through these layers, Tolkien’s work bridges ancient myth, modern resistance, and emerging religious interpretations.
Depresivní společnost [The Depressive Society], 2024
The chapter offers a map of the historical development of the phenomenon of conspiracy theories i... more The chapter offers a map of the historical development of the phenomenon of conspiracy theories in three major stages: 1) conspiracy theories in early modern era aimed at marginalized groups (Jews, witches), 2) conspiracy theories in classical modernity as a "safe paranoia" with clear enemy (freemasons, communists), 3) conspiracy theories in postmodern era which doubt everything ("unsafe paranoia"). The last stage of conspiracism coincides with the decades of rising prevalence of depression in society. Although correlation is not causation, both phenomena might be two different reactions to the same bundle of societal problems: the disappearance of grand narratives that would give life meaning, the rising complexity and the intransparence of society.
Depresivní společnost [The Depressive Society], 2024
The chapter argues that the current preference for domesticated, rational thought has led to a di... more The chapter argues that the current preference for domesticated, rational thought has led to a disconnection from and denial of the irrational aspects of human existence, which are not cultivated, but rather repressed. An analogy is built between an individual and a society: in an individual, according to analytical psychology, depression is caused by cutting off from the unconscious. The chapter offers a hypothesis that similar process happens to the society as a whole, the cause of it is the overemphasis on rationality and the result is the rising prevalence of depression and other disorders, contributing to a pervasive sense of depression in society.
Handbook of the Philosophy of Climate Change, 2023
The article offers a new perspective on environmental narratives, viewing them through the prism ... more The article offers a new perspective on environmental narratives, viewing them through the prism of ‘social myths’. Social myths, usually based on factual information (like historical or scientific data) are constructions that can inspire strong moods and motivations in people and have a nature akin to sacredness for those that participate in their worldview. In this text the author presents two major lineages that contribute to the historical development of contemporary environmental ideas – on the one hand the holistic, mystical, animistic undercurrent of European thought associated with Romanticism and on the other the Protestantism, especially Calvinism, with its focus on sin and asceticism. Based on both primary and secondary literature the main mythemes of environmentalism are postulated and overviewed: the image of the “Fall,” the disruption of natural harmony by first the agricultural revolution and later technology, visions of the looming apocalypse, the opposition of (Cartesian) dualism and (eco-friendly) holism, and the opposition of sacred (wild) space and the profane (urban), corresponding to the opposition of pure to polluted and healthy to unhealthy. These mythemes are then connected to specific ritual-like phenomena, e.g. dietary practices or consumer behaviour, as well as to impactful life-choices (e.g. the choice of not having children).
Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, 2023
The article compares two myths found in the Poetic Edda — Óðinn’s quest of the Mead of Poetry and... more The article compares two myths found in the Poetic Edda — Óðinn’s quest of the Mead of Poetry and Vǫlundr’s captivity and escape — and finds a series of analogies between both narratives: in both cases the protagonist is first tricked or left by a woman and afterwards he himself tricks and leaves a woman. In both cases the hero attempts at reaching his goal by hard work, which does not lead to success and then resorts to trickery, which brings success. Óðinn as well as Vǫlundr undergo (either literal or symbolic) snake metamorphosis and a bird metamorphosis. Both myths end with pregnancy, one literal and one symbolic. This complex analogy is then interpreted via the exploration of the mythological context and by revisitation of similar episodes in other myths. One of the recurrent ideas stressed in the article is the thesis that myths work like Rorschach blots and that we cannot ‘solve’ them by finding their ‘meaning’, we should rather study their form so we better understand their ability to evocate a multitude of meanings.
Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies, 2023
Chapter summarizing the various major theories connected to the theme of the Hero's Journey (or H... more Chapter summarizing the various major theories connected to the theme of the Hero's Journey (or Heroic Narrative Pattern, Monomyth etc.), presenting the models and explanations for the emergence of the narrative pattern. Beside the most famous authors - Rank, Raglan, Campbell, Propp - the chapter adds three more sections, one on the work of Jean Joseph Goux, one on the topic of the female heroine (which is sadly missing in all the older authors) and one on the topic of initiation structure.
Central European Journal of Contemporary Religion, 2021
The following text aims to offer and illustrate a new concept for grasping the phenomenon of cons... more The following text aims to offer and illustrate a new concept for grasping the phenomenon of conspiracy theories. Based on field research in the form of semi-structured interviews and previous research, it provides a triadic schema for navigating the conspiracy landscape and understanding the transformations and functions that conspiracy theories provide to their adherents. After introducing the topic, the first part of the text briefly summarises previous research relevant to the article and describes the theoretical position on which it is based. Subsequently, it uses H. S. Versnel’s schema to introduce the three levels of meaning of conspiracy narratives: substantivist, functionalist, and cosmological.
It then concludes by reflecting on the possible applications of this framework and its relevance for future research.
Central European Journal of Contemporary Religion, 2021
The article thematically and structurally analyses a group of films usually designated as "gnosti... more The article thematically and structurally analyses a group of films usually designated as "gnostic films". These films share a common ideology as they postulate the existence of two worlds-one illusory and the other true. The hero must escape the false world and reach the true one. As the majority of gnostic films appeared at the turn of the millennium, the article also suggests what contributed to the emergence of these films. As the cosmology of the films bears a close similarity to the cosmology of conspiracy theories, the emergence of the films is shown to be a part of the sociocultural development of the conspiracist mindset entering the mainstream. In the 1990s, conspiracism was out of the closet and gained popularity, but it was not yet perceived as an imminent societal threat and therefore was not a taboo for Hollywood filmmakers. The 1990s were also the decade of a unipolar world order where the absence of an inimical Other engendered anxiety about the system itself, which is reflected in the analysed films.
Handbook of Philosophy of Climate Change, 2023
Within the confines of human culture, phenomena like climate change or biodiversity loss are inte... more Within the confines of human culture, phenomena like climate change or biodiversity loss are integrated in powerful narratives that belong to the category of social myths. Social myths (very often based on historical or scientific facts) possess an authority akin to sacredness and can inspire strong moods and motivations in people. In this chapter, the scholarly debate on climate change activism as a form of religion with its own mythology is reviewed. The review is then followed by a closer look at the historical origin and development of environmental ideas and mythemes in the context of the climate change debate. Two main lineages are offered by scholarship: on the one hand Romanticism, Transcendentalism and by extension the holistic, mystical, animistic and “pagan” undercurrent of European thought, on the other Protestantism, especially Calvinism, with its focus on sin and asceticism. The main mythemes are then presented: the image of the “Fall”, the disruption of natural harmony by first the agricultural revolution and later technology; the visions of the looming apocalypse; the opposition of (Cartesian) dualism and (eco-friendly) holism; the opposition of sacred (wild) space and the profane (urban), corresponding to the opposition of pure to polluted and healthy to unhealthy. The mythemes are then connected to specific secular ritual practices – diets, consumer behaviours etc. – and situated in the wider context of contemporary culture.
Hradiště Hradec u Levína: Výsledky archeologického výzkumu (2022–2023), 2023
The chapter (written in Czech) briefly summarizes the thin and speculative information we have on... more The chapter (written in Czech) briefly summarizes the thin and speculative information we have on the topic of rituals connected to winter solstice practiced by continental pre-Christian Germanic peoples. As we have almost no sources in this regard we have to turn either to Old Norse literary sources or to late folklore for comparative material. The chapter does not attempt to produce any reconstruction, it just overviews what we have in Old Norse textual sources and selected motifs from later folklore and it leaves the reader to make their own extrapolations into the unknown past.
CENTRAL EUROPEAN JOURNAL FOR CONTEMPORARY RELIGION
Book review on Hošek, Pavel, Sloužím Tajnému ohni: Duchovní zdroje literární tvorby J.R.R. Tolkie... more Book review on Hošek, Pavel, Sloužím Tajnému ohni: Duchovní zdroje literární tvorby J.R.R. Tolkiena [I Am a Servant of Secret Fire: Spiritual Sources of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Literary Work], Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury 2019, 191 p.
Viking and Medieval Scandinavia (VMS), 2021
Two myths that describe Óðinn’s quest for the Sacred Mead are presented side by side in Hávamál –... more Two myths that describe Óðinn’s quest for the Sacred Mead are presented side by side in Hávamál – the myth of the self-sacrifice on the Tree and the journey to Suttungr’s hall. While their protagonist, the quest and the boon are their connecting points, their content is otherwise completely different and the myths are usually interpreted as two unconnected stories. Their difference could be expressed as a series of oppositions: simple-complex, static-dynamic, passive-active etc. Their contrast is so pronounced that it paradoxically seems to point to their deeper connection. This text presents an interpretation that connects both myths and explains their systematic contrast. It uses Snorri’s description of a trance state ascribed to Óðinn and shows how one of the myths corresponds to the situation of the symbolically dead body while the other myth corresponds to the active aspect of the person travelling to the Otherworld. The pattern applied on the two Odinic myths is then analysed and other applications are suggested.
Temenos, 2021
The article explores the idea of an echo, both literal and structural, that connects Old Norse co... more The article explores the idea of an echo, both literal and structural, that connects Old Norse cosmogony and eschatology. The motif of a bellowing sound or cry appears in cosmogony in the figure of Ymir, 'Crier', who is killed by the AEsir, and from his body the world is created. During the eschatological events the booming sound recurs when Heimdallr blows his horn shortly before the AEsir themselves are killed by their adversaries. A cry is also emitted by Óðinn when he sacrifices himself on the Cosmic Tree. The booming bellow is thus associated with death, especially in the context of implicit or explicit sacrifice. The structural resonance between cosmogony and eschatology is composed of a series of five motifs that reappear in the same sequence at both liminal moments. The eschatology seems to be structurally a repetition of the cosmogony, but with inverted roles: the victims are the gods, and the sacrificers are the giants, which is the inverse of the situation during the cosmogony. The present analysis sheds light on the sacrificial pattern hidden behind the two events, and helps contextualize the motif of the mighty sound that reappears at both moments in cosmic history.
Project Repository Journal, 2020
This is a dissemination article summing up some of the core ideas of my Marie Sklodowska-Curie pr... more This is a dissemination article summing up some of the core ideas of my Marie Sklodowska-Curie project Symbodin while sketching the wider context of the role of myth in European culture.
Secular rituals are usually not perceived as rituals by the majority of secular Westerners. Schol... more Secular rituals are usually not perceived as rituals by the majority of secular Westerners. Scholars usually are aware of their ritual nature, but rarely use the same language as they use when discussing prototypical religious rituals. In the process of our early age socialization and later education we are installed into our symbolic system, which is internalized and becomes transparent, invisible. The by-product of this process is that we learn to overlook the myths and rituals of contemporary secular culture, and we label them as something of different nature.
Secular Westerners curiously observe colourful rituals of e.g. an African tribe, calling it “religion” (contrasting with their non-religiousness) as if something so “weird” and “superstitious” was completely alien to their rational secular life – all the while the Westerners themselves perform even more elaborate and grandiose (and weird) rituals. For instance, as part of the secular Christmas celebration most people put a sacrificed tree inside their house and adorn it (in a way reminding us of the adornment of sacrificial victim in Classical Antiquity or some parts of today’s India). In the months before the ritual itself they participate in zealous acquisition of gifts (which massively influences Western culture and economy), performing another version of symbolic sacrifice (sacrificing their money). The rite itself is enacted with a day of feasting and copious gift-giving comparable to the Potlatch feasts. In contrast to typical Potlatch they don’t practice the destruction of property, but the feature of abundant “giving away” is similar.
The paper presents a specific reading of several secular or secularized rituals (Christmas, New Year, rituals of the World War II rememberance etc.) showing their similarity to prototypical religious rituals and emphasizing the camouflaged presence of potent ritual elements (sacrifice, liminality, reenactment of mythic images etc.).
Conference paper offering a series of complementary theoretical perspectives on the motif of brea... more Conference paper offering a series of complementary theoretical perspectives on the motif of breaking into a burial mound known from the Old Norse literature. This motif is surprisingly common and it usually follows a specific structure. Both the popularity and the relative constancy of the form invite an explanation or interpretation.
The paper applies series of concepts from the Religious Studies classics like Claude Lévi-Strauss, Arnold van Gennep, Mircea Eliade, Victor Turner, Sigmund Freud, Rudolf Otto, Émile Durkheim and C.G. Jung to show how they are all useful to certain extent as interpretive paradigms. The paper is thus a kind of exercise in theoretical flexibility and interdisciplinarity (combining psychology, anthropology, phenomenology of religion, sociology and structuralism). The burial mound pattern is linked repeatedly to initiatory structure and to the monomyth structure of hero's "there and back again" quest.
The contemporary "Dungeons and Dragons"-type games (hero exploring a dangerous Otherworld, typically underground, killing monster guardians and discovering magic treasures) are suggested as a modern counterpart to the discussed pattern, fitting the same form and function.
*This is just a conference paper, if you want to read a complete academic article on the same top... more *This is just a conference paper, if you want to read a complete academic article on the same topic, look for an article named "The Echo of Creation" among my texts here or find it open access at the Temenos journal.*
The eschatological motives of the Norse Ragnarök (the Doom of the Powers) has been compared widely with the other Indo-European eschatologies, both in myth and in epic poetry. However a couple of motives, noticed already by authors such as Dumézil or Puhvel, stand out in the sense that they have parallels in cosmogonies rather than in eschatologies. For instance the myths about Þórr’s nine steps and Víðarr’s forceful opening of the Wolf’s jaws have parallels in the Indian myth about the three steps of Viśnu stretching out the space for the Three Worlds.
In my paper I would like to take a closer look at these eschatological motives and add several others that are paired with parallels in Old Norse cosmogony. By aligning the cosmogony and eschatology through similar motives and structures I would like to add a new interpretation to a long standing debate among the scholars of Old Norse Mythology about the nature of Old Norse mythic chronology
The core of the presentation is an attempt at a synthetic interpretation enabled by the cross-com... more The core of the presentation is an attempt at a synthetic interpretation enabled by the cross-combination of four paradigms (phenomenology of religion, semiotics, psychoanalysis and gestalt psychology), whose approaches and results (those relevant to the paper topic) are shown to be either analogous or complementary. The matter can be divided into two parts:
A.
Excursus into the function and symbolic of the numinous head in Old Norse myths. Three cases will be treated more thoroughly (the rest just mentioned for the sake of completion):
a1. The head of Mímir, ‚reinscribed‘ into symbolic system by Óðinn.
a2. The head of Ymir, ‚reinscribed‘ into symbolic system by Óðinn&co.
a3. The two heads of synir Níðaðar ‚reinscribed‘ into symbolic system by Vǫlundr.
These three narrative clusters show a number of fascinating analogies in structure as well as in motives and thus allow us to postulate a common invariant connecting three seemingly separate mythological themes: (a1) aitiology of mantic/poetic inspiration, (a2) cosmogony by dismemberment and (a3) ‚shamanic‘ initiation. All three will be interpreted as three derivations of the same ‚monomythic‘ structure — with the concrete forms depending basically on the projection screen, i.e. where the narrativization occurs: whether it is (a2) macrocosm, or (a3) microcosm of one’s initiatory vision or (a1) an attempt to describe the collective experience of poetic inspiration.
B.
The examples presented in section A. and the concluding broader syntheses will be further supplemented by a number of general observations based on the results of above-mentioned four disciplines:
b1. Human body as an ever-present center and source of a process of cognitive metaphorization that is implicit in practically all ‚objects-units‘ (phenomena percieved and conceptualized as complete individual entities; e.g. mountains, chairs, trees, bottles, rivers, houses etc.); it is a universal model for cognitive mapping and thus every such object is a kind of ‚miniature Ymir-figure‘, having ‚head‘ and ‚heel‘, ‚foot‘, ‚shoulder‘, ‚neck‘, ‚ front‘, ‚back‘ or ‚bottom‘.
b2. Prominent body-parts in this ubiquitous metaphor (head, hand, finger, eye, tongue, navel, genitals, heel etc.) and the system of their mutual substitutions (hand-phallus, thumb-phallus, heel-head etc.)
b3. Special focus on the head-genitals analogy (geniality and genitality), its implications (e.g. head-hunting as castration and vice versa), its role and position in the system.
Nepublikovaný text jehož jádrem je srovnání opakujících se motivů v eddických narativech. Unpu... more Nepublikovaný text jehož jádrem je srovnání opakujících se motivů v eddických narativech.
Unpublished text focusing on the comparison of recurrent liminal motifs and symbols and common structure in eddic narratives.
Religio, Aug 2010
The main subject of the article is the comparison between two different mythic accounts of the or... more The main subject of the article is the comparison between two different mythic accounts of the origin of the sacred mead of inspiration in the context of the Old Norse religious tradition. These two myths are both narrated, although in a highly enigmatic style, as a parts of the eddaic poem Hávamál. Both myths have three basic features in common: the frame setting is a difficult trial of the hero; the main character is the supreme god Óðinn; and the acquired treasure is the mead of inspiration. In all other respects the two stories seem to be completely dissimilar: the first one being a dynamic colourful adventure reminding of a folktale and the second one being a static vision, an esoteric experience of self-sacrifice.
The central argument of the article is that these two myths can be explained as two aspects of the same process, the two accounts being necessary complements to each other. However the structural relationship between the two narratives is of a peculiar nature corresponding to the „internal” and „external” aspects of ritual experience and to several other binary concepts that are shown to be present already as established emic categories of the Old Norse culture. Thus Óðinn’s self-hanging corresponds to the factual level of an initiatory ritual, whereas Óðinn’s extravagant adventures and metamorphoses correspond to the extatic perspective experienced internally by the initiand.
The focal argument is supplemented first by the prolegomena, where the problems and limits of intra-cultural and inter-cultural comparisons and identifications are discussed, then the basic introduction to the Old Norse cultural context is provided and then the primary sources are presented and evaluated. The study is concluded with the epilegomena, where the consequences of the analysis and the interpretation are reflected and the possible applications and wider theoretical significance is considered, especially the new perspective on the relationship between double-aspected ritual and myth in the case of initiatory scenarios.
Keywords: Old-Norse religion, Óðinn, Yggdrasill, skaldic poetry, kenning, structure of initiation, liminality, birth symbolism, self-sacrifice, sacrificial hanging, journey to Otherworld, ritual extasy.
Klíčová slova: Staroseverské náboženství, Óðinn, Yggdrasill, skald, kenning, iniciační struktura, liminalita, porodní symbolika, sebeoběť, oběť oběšením, cesta do Jiného světa, rituální extáze.
Conceptual Metaphors and Body Symbolism, 2019
An abstract book to an international workshop on body symbolism and conceptual metaphors. Concent... more An abstract book to an international workshop on body symbolism and conceptual metaphors. Concentrated mostly on mythology and religion, but including also talks on law, psychiatry and philosophy.
The surreal character of ON myths can be explained by their metaphorical nature. The human body i... more The surreal character of ON myths can be explained by their metaphorical nature. The human body is one of the source images for ordering reality. Three different specific cases are presented below.
The argument is developed further and in detail in my article "Rhetorical Tropes and Body Symbolism: The Semiotic Approach to Old Norse Myth" which can be found here at Academia.edu.
Central European Journal of Contemporary Religion, 2020
A review of "I am a Servant of Secret Fire" by Pavel Hošek summarizes the contents of the book, c... more A review of "I am a Servant of Secret Fire" by Pavel Hošek summarizes the contents of the book, comments on the main themes and offers a polemical notes on the issue of spirituality vs. mythology, Christianity vs. paganism in Tolkien's work.
The article offers one possible answer to the question 'Why are myths so weird?' by analysing a s... more The article offers one possible answer to the question 'Why are myths so weird?' by analysing a series of Old Norse myths with especially pronounced surreality connected to the loss or transformation of bodies or body parts. These myths are shown to fall into a fourfold typology which correspond to the so called 'master tropes', i.e. metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, irony. These four tropes are spread throughout languages and literatures across historical eras, from everyday speech to poetry, so it is no surprise we find them also in mythology. Mythology shares many features with other semiotic systems, especially the semiotic super-system of language, but it employs the features in a different way. In myth the tropes are intensified into whole stories based on these relationships. They are elevated into powerful magical connections between beings and objects that are much stronger than in real life and links that exist as a mere psychic associations or analogies become real principles of transformation in myth. Myths are so weird because they let the conceptual metaphors play out as stories and images and externalize into concrete and active images the organizing principles of our minds and of cultural semiotic systems. One (but surely not the only) function of myth therefore seems to be to playfully reflect upon and meta-analyse the rhizome of interconnected symbolic systems of a given society.