MAGIC WITHOUT BORDERS: EXPLORING THE UBIQUITOUS PREVALENCE OF SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS IN FOLKTALES ACROSS CULTURES

Abstract

The concept of magic, as a social reality, permeates every civilization whether it belongs to antiquity or modernity. The narrative landscape is replete with supernatural entities and extraordinary occurrences, symbolizing human desires and aspirations that may be unattainable in the mundane world. This phenomenon reinforces human belief in metaphysical powers. This study aims to investigate the cross-cultural ubiquity of magic and supernatural occurrences as a transcultural phenomenon, analyzing their symbolic significance, narrative utility, and functional role within the heroic monomyth and global folktale tradition. This study contributes to the field of archetypes, offering insight to understand the psychological and cultural significance of supernatural elements, their impact on human imagination, and their utility within the folktales. This study employs an archetypal framework based on Carl Jung's Collective Unconscious. The findings reveal that supernatural elements are a recurring archetype in folktale tradition and play an important role both in the story and the protagonist's transformation. Portrayed within the realm of cultural narratives, the supernatural forces, whether they are some objects, wizards, giants, fairies, demons, dragons, or gods, play an important role in heroic monomyth in aiding or hindering the hero with their malign or benign intentions, constituting a crucible for the protagonist wherein he can judge both his strengths and weaknesses.