Narrative of Eliade Novel Snake and Study of Coincidentia Oppositorum

Abstract

For Mircea Eliade, Romanian historian of religion fiction writer philosopher of the 20th century Coincidentia oppositorum is coexistence of opposite parts without contradiction and it is the desire to recover the unification by understanding complimentary elements of opposite parts. What Eliade is pursuing is that we need to open a new perspective in this era with a total insight rather then practicality for humans. It is generally believed that existence and non-existence, reality and fantasy, day and night, history and mythology sacred and profane have opposite properties. However Eliade says that these opposing concepts meet each other totally and become the key to a New Humanism. Eliade depicted our existential desire for the mysteries of totality that is revealed in various dimensions in the narrative of his fantasy novel the Snake. According to Eliade human being determines his existence of opposite things by experience in his life. But the disguised appearance of discrepancy of good and evil makes man transcend beyond opposition and the harmony of anima and animus symbolize the sacred marriage. At the point of cosmos marriage between heaven and earth is an act of creation and creation of life. Sacred marriage are connection of man and woman, melting of opposite things, interaction oneness and connection between man and God. In this novel main character Andronic and Dorina live in paradise of freedom and richness like Adam and Eve in the Bible. Coincidentia oppositorum makes it possible to recognize the makeup of the constant holiness in the ever changing world. And Eliade's interpretation about Coincidentia oppositorum are realization of comprehensive understanding about human beings unbiased regardless of ages and creating New Humanism which values human life instead of isolating it.