Avian Archetypes and Feminine Transformation in Tripura Folklore

Sumithra S¹, Komalavalli J²

¹Assistant Professor, Department of English, St. John’s College, Palayamkottai. sumithra1999sjc@gmail.com

²UKG Teacher, St. John’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Thiruninravur. komalavallijagadhesan@gmail.com

Abstract

Folktales carry oral traditions, ecological wisdom, and cultural values of the communities that maintain them, according to William Bascom, who observes that they amuse, educate, and maintain conformity while reflecting social and spiritual beliefs. The Tribal Folk Tales of Tripura, written by D. K. Tyagi, preserves the oral narratives of the tribes of Tripura, where animals, spirits, and deities serve as symbols of cultural identity and ecological balance. The Tripura folktales show the interconnections between the oppression of women and nature and demonstrate continuity and resilience. This paper reveals archetypal themes of transformation, retribution, and redemption, affirming folktales as cultural documents of survival and imagination.

Keywords: Oral tradition, Ecofeminism, Metamorphosis, Allegory, Animism.