Cyclical and linear concept of time in folk literature

Čas ne opredeljuje samo individualnega življenja, ampak človeško dojemanje celotnega stvarstva na eni ter religioznih sistemov in etičnih vrednot na drugi strani. Skupaj s prostorom tvorita temeljni filozofski kategoriji. Z ontološkega vidika tudi književnost, podobno kot uprizoritvene umetnosti, opredeljuje predvsem čas. Znotraj samega leposlovja ločimo ciklični, linearni in večni čas. Ciklični čas je najzgodnejša ideja temporalnosti, povezana z veliko boginjo in ženskostjo, linearni čas pa se zlasti povezuje z monoteističnimi religijami, na čelu katerih stoji bog oče. V besedilu smo se osredotočili na nekaj motivov iz antične mitologije (delfsko preročišče, vesoljni potop, mit o Orfeju, Tejrezijas), kjer se je prehod z ženskega na moško božanstvo dokončno izvedel, vendar je bil ženski princip še vedno dovolj močan, da je prihajalo do silovitih diskrepanc. Podobne motive najdemo tudi v slovenskem ljudskem slovstvu (Šembilja, rojenice in sojenice, vesoljni potop, Godec pred peklom), toda ženski princip je že veliko bolj zadušen, tako da več ne zasledimo značilnih nasprotij. Opisane spremembe so bile tako daljnosežne, da so močno spremenile bistvo in značaj celotne civilizacije.Not only individual life, the human perception of the universe on one side and the perception of the religious systems and ethical values on the other are thoroughly defined by Time. Both Space and Time compose basic categories in philosophy. An ontological point of view shows that the Literature, similar to the Permorming Arts, is also Time defined. In the domain of the Literature we can separate Cyclical time from the Linear and both from the Eternal time. Cyclical time is based on the earliest Temporarity Idea, it is connected with the Great Goddess and with the Feminine. Linear time is tightly connected to the monotheist religions, headed by the God the Father. The following text is focused on some ancient mythological motifs (the Delphi Oracle, the Deluge myth, the Orpheus myth, the Teiresias prophet mofif), where the transition from the feminine to the masculine Deities is consequently performed, but remained as strong to produce fierce conflicts. Similar motifs are found in Slovenian folk literature (Šembilja, Birth Fairies, Fate Fairies, the Deluge, the Musician at the entrance to Hell), but the feminine principle is far more smudged and reduced to the extent where typical contradictions are not traceable anymore. The described transformations were so thorough and irreversible that they undoubtedly altered the essence and the character of the civilisation forever