Georgian-American University.Association Professor. Ideological Aspects of Twins Myth

Abstract

The firstborn twin is always special and has real creative abilities of Demiurg, while the other twin lacks these abilities. Less creativeness of negative twin makes absurd the idea of competition as his creation of Universe is predestined from the very beginning. Unequality of the twins (correspondingly dychotomy polarities) is the mythological definitive factor, which later creates radical opposition between the twins polarities and cosmic rhythm of shifting turns into cosmic rhythm of struggle between them. Just here, in this episode of archaic myth of twins first signs of dualism and the idea of opposition between evil and kindness appears. From now on dichotomy twins (harmonious pair) is interchanged by dual twins (antagonic pair).

In dual paradigm of myth one of cultural heroes is Demiurg, but the other his negative demonic double, “mythological pushful person” – Trixter. Trixter imitates Demiurg’s action but he is not successful: his origin is covered in negative twin Trixster’s inability, which is antipode of creation of Universe – his origin is chaos, distructive power, but not creative. That is why his work is directed only to chaos. This is his natural state (condition). There is no place for negative twin in cosmos and when he tries to become real Demiurg by “creative imitation” he is opposed with his chaotic origin and becomes a cosmic mythological image. By mythological images of Demiurg and Trixster, ancient ideological concepts of archaic dualism are expressed.

The myth of Twins ideologically first of all expresses primary perception and accordingly appears as the basis of dichotomy division-differentiation of the Universe.

In myth of twins cosmic and social universal dychotomies are represented by two twins-polarities.

Universal dychotomies were formed after disintegration of the primary wholeness (e.g. the whole body of the sky and the earth) of the Universe and after their absolute differentations as the polarities.

Universal dychotomies are polarities having equal power and importance. They make cosmos balanced and full as the whole and at first ideological antagonism between them is not noticeable.