Geopoetic images in the lyrical poetry of I. F. Mamyshev

Archive of Scientific Articles

ISSUE:

Philology. Theory & Practice. 2026. Volume 19. Issue 4

COLLECTION:

Foreign Literature

All issues

Abstract. The study aims to identify the geopoetic images in the poetry collection “The Axis of the Oecumene” by the Khakas poet I. F. Mamyshev. Within this research, the geopoetic image is understood as an artistic representation of geographic space as a unity of natural, historical, cultural, and semantic values. The article examines poetic images of space in their interaction with geographical space. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that this is the first study to explore geopoetic images in Mamyshev’s lyrics. The investigation of geopoetic images reflects an existential perception of geographic space, endowing it with a value-based dimension. The article analyzes the connection between geopoetic images and the inner world of both the lyrical hero and the author, alongside national spatial concepts. The poems in “The Axis of the Oecumene” vividly illustrate how geographic space can be symbolically embodied in a work of art. As a result, patterns of the author’s modeling of geographic images along the horizontal and vertical axes of space were identified, and a coordinate system was established. The geopoetic images are created based on the established cultural code of a specific topos, alongside unique authorial images. The analysis highlights traditional horizontal images: the steppe, feather grass, kurgans, rivers, and mountain streams; and vertical images: the cedar, mountains, and the taiga, as well as water in the form of celestial rain streams. The study defines the roles of geopoetic images in the author’s individual worldview. The central image is the “Axis of the Oecumene” (Chirim kini), symbolizing sacred power, the beginning of the Universe, and the image of the “small homeland” (the village of Zhogarkhy Askhys). Mountainous images, such as the Chiti khys ridge and the Sakhchakh tasphyl, serve as symbols of the poet’s internal spirituality and the aesthetics of a supersensory world. A downpour, depicted through the images of alyp matyrlar (heroic warriors), symbolizes life force, while prolonged rains signify punishment. In the author’s interpretation, the cedar is an amulet and a symbol of language. The metaphorical image of the Chatkhan unites all geopoetic images of vertical and horizontal spaces, embodying a mythological three-dimensional world where its primary role is mediation. The distinctiveness of these geopoetic images lies in the author’s ability to create an artistic world within the poetic field, rooted in the Khakas worldview yet featuring unique personal symbols.