Defense of the dissertation of Abildayeva Aigul Dzhylkabaevna for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the educational program «8D02314 - Literary Studies»

L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, a dissertation defense for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by Abildayeva Aigul Dzhylkabaevna on the topic «Binary оpposition and аctant structure in mythical texts» to the educational program «8D02314 – Literary Studies».

The dissertation was carried out at the «Kazakh Literature education department» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.

The language of defense is kazakh

Official reviewers:

Jarylgapov Jansaya Jangazyuly – Doctor of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Kazakh Literature at Academician E.A. Buketov Karaganda University (Karaganda, Kazakhstan).

Adayeva Yermek Sabyrbayevna – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Lecturer at the Department of Kazakh Language and Turkic Studies, Nazarbayev University (Astana, Kazakhstan).

Temporary members of the Dissertation Committee:

Metin Ekici – PhD,  Professor at the Institute of Turkish World Studies, Ege University (Turkey);

Tulebayeva Kuralay Toktarovna – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Head of the Department of Philology, Associate Professor at Alikhan Bokeikhan University (Semey, Kazakhstan);

Kalieva Almira Kairytaevna – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Deputy Director General for Research, M.O.Auezov Institute of Literature and Art (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan).

Scientific advisors:

Zh. A. Aimbukhanbet – Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor of the Department of Kazakh Literature at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Astana, Kazakhstan);

Fikret Türkmen – Doctor, Professor at Ege University (Izmir, Turkey).

The defense will take place on November 28, 2026, at 03:00 PM in the Dissertation Council for the training direction «8D023 – Languages and literature» in the educational program «8D02314 – Literary Studies» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. The defense meeting is planned to be held offline and online.

Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/472941649933578?p=wf6b1B0KtmoqAQZKoU

Address: Astana, K. Satpayev St., 2, Educational and Administrative Building, Room 101.

Abstract (English): A dissertation by Aigul Dzhylkabaevna Abildaeva on the topic "Binary Opposition and Actantial Structure in Mythological texts", submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the educational program 8D02314 – Literary Studies.  Relevance of the Research Topic. The conflict underlying mythic cognition is inherently characterized by binary oppositional relationships. While shared motifs and resonant plots in global mythologies reflect the universal worldview foundational to ancient humanity, this inherent contradiction is resolved throughout the developmental process, transitioning into a new stage through interaction and confrontation. The relevance of this topic is determined by the semantic analysis and explanation of this structural property of myth, as well as the investigation of the actantial structure as the driving force behind the conflictual action. Such concepts and manifestations of binary opposition in creation myths - such as chaos and cosmos, good and evil, light and darkness, the beautiful and the ugly, white and black - form the core of mythological texts. These binary oppositions within mythic narratives establish the cognitive model through which humanity perceives the environment and the world. The aforementioned contradictions manifest not only at the content level but also through the actions of characters, images, and actants within the mythological narrative. From this perspective, actantial structures testify to the internal semantic system of the myth, the functions and roles of the characters, and, crucially, the cognitive origins within the artistic consciousness of humanity. Identifying contradictions in mythic cognition as binary oppositions, and analyzing the system of imagery and character actions through actantial structures, facilitates a profound disclosure of the nature of literary characters and their archetypal roles within the subconscious. Furthermore, through an interconnected analysis of contradictions in mythic cognition and actantial structures, it becomes possible to reconstruct the relationship between human and nature, human and cosmos, as well as the model of the world deeply rooted in the artistic consciousness. Consequently, analyzing binary oppositions in mythological narratives through the prism of actants stands as one of the highly relevant issues in contemporary literary studies, mythology, and folkloristics. Myth did not remain solely at the level of ancient cognition; rather, it transformed into an aesthetic means of comprehending life, giving rise to a system of imagery. Thus, mythological thinking became the foundation of poetic cognition. Examining mythological texts from a structural perspective, alongside identifying binary oppositions and actantial actions, is of paramount importance for modern literary criticism to demonstrate the profound continuity between myth and the verbal arts. Degree of Research on the Topic The concept of binary opposition began to be widely applied in the mid-twentieth century across fields such as linguistics, literary studies, history, philosophy, and cultural studies. This concept was first formulated by the Russian linguist, philosopher, ethnographer, and historian N. S. Trubetzkoy in his classic work Principles of Phonology, published in 1939. In this study, the concept under investigation was presented not merely as an antithesis or a formal contrast, but as a universal logical tool capable of describing the internal structure of any system. Additionally, this category was analyzed by Yuri Lotman in his monograph The Semiosphere (1984), where the semantic structure of a literary text was examined through the prism of such binary constructs as "self - other," "center - periphery," and "sacred - profane." Concurrently, Claude Lévi -Strauss, in his foundational work Mythologiques (1984), proposed a comprehension of the world through its binary classification, and in The Savage Mind (1994), he characterized binary oppositions as "a universal mechanism of human thought. "In 1972, domestic researchers A. Nysanbayev and G. Kurmangalieva, exploring the specifics of binary oppositions in the Selected Treatises of the great thinker Al-Farabi, identified four types of opposites. Alongside these researchers, this concept was examined by other scholars across various domains of the humanities. Specifically, it was further developed in such works as Categories of Medieval Culture by A. Gurevich, Behind the Mirror by K. Lorenz, and Russian Language and Culture of Speech by V. I. Maximov. The concept of the "actant" was initially introduced into scientific discourse by the French linguist Lucien Tesnière in his work Elements of Structural Syntax, where it was examined from a strictly linguistic perspective and defined as the "living participants in the textual process." Later, in 1966, the folklorist and literary scholar Algirdas Julien Greimas, in his work Structural Semantics, provided an interpretation of actants through the analysis of literary texts and explained them within the framework of various theoretical paradigms. In 2006, I. V. Silantiev, in his monograph Poetics of the Motif, investigated the term "actant" in close connection with the concepts of "character" and "protagonist." Finally, in 2026, Zh. A. Aymukhambet, in the monograph The Actantial Model in a Literary Text, conducted a comparative analysis of the actant concepts proposed by A. J. Greimas, V. Ya. Propp, and É. Souriau, analyzing the actantial function of the folklore character Er -Tostik in continuity with its representation in poetry and prose. Research Objective The objective of the research is to determine the relationship between mythological and artistic reality by analyzing the essence of binary oppositions in mythological texts and examining the actantial structure from a literary perspective, and, on this basis, to systematize the regularities of mythological and poetic thinking. Research Tasks To achieve the stated objective, the following tasks have been outlined: – to analyze the nature of opposing forces and concepts in mythic cognition; – to examine the structure of mythological texts based on binary oppositions and to determine its connection to the nature of conflict in the verbal arts; – to identify and systematize actantial structures in mythological texts, revealing their characteristics as binary oppositional pairs; – to disclose the essence of characters embodying the oppositions of "protagonist–antagonist," "chaos - cosmos," "good - evil," and "benefit - harm" in the process of analyzing the levels and space of the actantial structure's functioning; and – to determine the pivotal position of the actantial structure within the system of binary oppositions and to formulate final theoretical conclusions. Object of the Research The object of the research comprises texts based on the myths of the peoples of the world, ancient written monuments drawing upon mythological motifs, and specimens of national folklore. Subject of the Research The subject of the research encompasses the structural-semantic specificity of binary oppositions in the mythological narratives of the peoples of the world and within national mythic cognition, the features of their representation through actantial models, and their functioning in the mythological worldview and artistic consciousness. Scientific Novelty of the Research For the first time, binary oppositions and actantial structures in mythological texts are examined in their mutual continuity, thereby defining the structural-semantic function of mythological plots and their role in the national artistic consciousness. It is demonstrated that the functioning of actants, which underlies the development of motifs and plots in mythological texts through the prism of binary opposition, serves as a key structural mechanism. Within the framework of a comprehensive analysis in this direction, the following new scientific results have been obtained: – to systematize the function of such binary oppositional pairs as "chaos - cosmos," "heaven–earth," "light - darkness," "life - death," and "good - evil" in the formation of mythological motifs and plots; – to determine the interconnection between binary opposition and the actantial structure in mythological texts within the context of the national picture of the world; – to identify the role of anthropomorphic characters, natural phenomena, cosmic objects, celestial bodies, animals, and other mythological images performing the function of an actant in mythological narratives in generating conflict within a literary text; – to disclose the mutual continuity of mythological and poetic thinking through a combined analysis of binary opposition and the actantial structure, and to differentiate the artistic transformation of mythic cognition in the verbal arts. When revealing the essence of binary opposition as the primary mechanism of conflict in a mythological text, particular attention was paid to the national worldview. Thus, through the specified binary opposition and its derivative actantial structure, the continuity of Kazakh mythology with world mythology was explicated. The critical function of binary oppositional relations within the actantial structure was established as the driving force of motifs in the processes of development, motion, and transformation. Theoretical and Methodological Framework of the Research The methodological framework of the research comprises scientific concepts within which the system of mythological thinking is examined through structural, semiotic, and mythopoetic approaches. In the process of analyzing binary oppositions and actantial structures in mythological texts, the foundational principles of structuralism, semiotics, mythology, and folkloristics were adopted as a basis. The theoretical foundation of the research draws upon the works of Claude Lévi-Strauss dedicated to the study of the structural nature of myth. The researcher's conclusions, characterizing binary oppositions as the bedrock of mythic cognition, formed the basis of the theoretical analysis in this work. Additionally, when investigating the functions of characters in mythological narratives, the theory of the actantial model formulated by Algirdas Julien Greimas served as a fundamental guide. In the analysis of national mythic cognition, the works and scientific insights of such scholars as Chokan Valikhanov, Alkei Margulan, Seyit Kaskabasov, Serikbol Kondybay, and Edige Tursunov served as the conceptual support for the theoretical generalizations in this study. Research Methods The methodological foundation of the work comprises the comparative-historical analysis of Kazakh and world literary texts. In identifying binary oppositions and actantial structures within mythological narratives, the principles of cultural-historical, mythopoetic, and structuralist analytical methods served as the primary tools. Theoretical and Practical Significance of the Research The results of the research work can be utilized in further theoretical studies aimed at disclosing such immanent aspects of literary criticism as binary opposition and actantial structure in mythic cognition and the verbal arts. Additionally, the research materials can be integrated into the teaching practice of specialized core disciplines within higher education institutions. Key Propositions for Defense 1. The structural foundation of mythological motifs is constituted by a binary oppositional system. Such dual categories as "chaos–cosmos," "heaven–earth," "light–darkness," "life–death," and "man–woman," which reflect both unity and opposition simultaneously, serve as the foundational cognitive model of the archaic worldview. These concepts and objects, functioning as the key mechanisms of binary opposition, are recognized as the essential characteristics of the laws of the universe. 2. The binary oppositional structure within mythological texts functions not only at the conceptual level. Through the actantial system, it discloses the functions of mythological characters and the symbolic nature of inextricably linked opposing forces. 3. The actantial structure in myth is represented not only through anth-ropomorphic images (human characters) but also through natural phenomena, cosmic objects, celestial bodies, as well as totemic animals and birds. This specificity is fully inherent in Kazakh mythology as well. 4. Mythological motifs of creation, originating in the cosmogonic struggle between chaos and cosmos, depict the process of transition from primordial disorder to an ordered universe. From this perspective, the binary oppositional structure in mythological narratives about heaven and earth manifests simultaneously as a confrontation and as the source of harmony. In other words, the world and civilization develop through the dialectical unity and struggle of opposites. 5. The anthropomorphic representation of objects and phenomena in mythological motifs reflects the specific interconnection and syncretic wholeness of human and nature. The attribution of human qualities to natural phenomena and objects, stemming from animistic beliefs, demonstrates the uniqueness of how mythic cognition is represented within the artistic consciousness. 6. Through the actantial structure in mythological narratives, the regularities of the development of existence, the origins of the universal human worldview, and the processes of spiritual value formation are explicated. Structure of the Research The thesis consists of an introduction, three main chapters (each divided into three subchapters), a conclusion, and a list of references. These main chapters are internally differentiated into their respective sections. Approbation and Publication of the Research Results A total of 7 (seven) scientific papers have been published on the topic of the research. These include: 1 article in a journal indexed in the Scopus international database and possessing an impact factor; 4 articles in scientific journals recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in the Sphere of Science and Higher Education of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CQASHE MSHE RK); and 2 articles in the proceedings of international scientific and practical conferences. List of Published Works Publications in Peer - Reviewed Journals Indexed in the Scopus Database: 1. Unity and conflict of opposition in the structure of a literary text // Komunikacija i kultura online. – 2024. – Godina XV, broj 15. – P. 1- 19. Publications in Scientific Journals Recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in the Sphere of Science and Higher Education (CQASHE MSHE RK): 1. Aktantnaya reprezentatsiya binarnoy oppozitsii Actantial Representation of Binary Opposition // Vestnik Evraziyskogo Gumanitarnogo Instituta Bulletin of the Eurasian Humanities Institute. – 2024. – No. 2. – P. 80 - 89. 2. Funktsiya i sistema aktantnoy struktury v tekste Function and System of Actantial Structure in the text //Vestnik Toraigyrov University. – 2025. – No. 2. – P. 6 -19. 3. Binarnye oppozitsii kak marker khudozhestvennogo soznaniya Binary Oppositions as a Marker of Artistic Consciousness // Vestnik KU imeni Sh. Ualikhanova Bulletin of Sh. Ualikhanov Kokshetau University. – 2025. – No. 1. – P. 209 - 221. 4. Aktantnaya struktura binarnoy oppozitsii v folklornom analize Actantial Structure of Binary Opposition in Folklore Analysis // Vestnik KazUMOiMYA imeni Ablay Khana Bulletin of Ablai Khan Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages. – 2025. – No. 2. – P. 503 - 515. Proceedings of International Scientific and Practical Conferences: 1. Sushchnost binarnoy oppozitsii v strukture mifa The Essence of Binary Opposition in the Structure of Myth // Poiski i otkrytiya v filologicheskoy nauke: materialy VI mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii dlya doktorantov i magistrantov Searches and Discoveries in Philological Science: Proceedings of the VI International Scientific and Practical Conference for Doctoral and Master's Students]. – Astana, 2023. – P. 12 - 17. 2. Funktsionirovanie obyektov i yavleniy v antropomorfnom obraze The Functioning of Objects and Phenomena in the Anthropomorphic Image // Materialy mezhdunarodnoy nauchno - prakticheskoy konferentsii "Napravleniya filologicheskikh issledovaniy" Proceedings of the International Scientific and Practical Conference "Directions of Philological Research". – Astana, 2025. – P. 165 - 171.

Dissertation

List of Scientific Works

Consultant's Review

Foreign Consultant's Review

Conclusion of the Research Ethics Committee