Ronesa Aveela

Another enjoyable and haunting foray into Eastern European mythology. I've grown up with so many versions of mermaid tales, all Western-based, so it was intriguing to discover their Eastern parallels and their various origin stories. The latter, arising out of the pagan rituals of old peasant societies, often had a sexist element about them - as the Rusalki represented girls and women who defied in some way the cultural norms of their time. But it was also interesting to see the duality of these spirits, how they were shunned for their "atypical" female image, yet relied upon as a positive force of nature that nourished the land. And their portrayal also changed when the old folktales merged with Christianity, indicating how myths often reflect the reality people want to create.

Of course, these advocated realities heavily restricted women's lives, which mainly revolved around marriage and childbirth. That makes the Rusalki all the more fascinating by contrast, as they were depicted as the freest of women, whether in their physical image and sexuality or in their choices to bless or harm human beings (often men) at will. Though they were often used as a cautionary tale to rebellious/strong women, as these spirits were created through untimely deaths or taboo behavior, their lore also feels like a response to those antiquated gender restrictions, a subversion of them, and this is a duality worth considering as well.

Finally, I loved seeing how these stories sometimes inspired the modern versions of mermaids and sirens that we know so well. Even Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid has some significant similarities, in that neither the titular mermaid nor the Rusalka is known to have a soul: therein lies their main difference from humankind, which can alternately be seen as a blessing or a curse. I also enjoyed reading about the Rusalki references that appear in Eastern European literature, including many of the Russian greats' works. Once again, I'm glad Aveela took the time to compile all these sources, to give us as complete and complex a picture as possible. Despite their status as restless spirits, the Rusalki still retain much humanity in their portrayals - a strong and necessary reminder of the light and darkness that permeate our existence.… (mer)