STRUCTURAL-SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF BINARY OPPOSITIONS REPRESENTING TRAITS OF ENGLISH FAIRY TALE CHARACTERS

Abstract

This article explores the structural and semantic nature of binary oppositions in English fairy tales. It focuses on how positive and negative traits of characters are linguistically encoded through polar opposites. By employing structural-semantic analysis, the research identifies the fundamental antonymic pairs that shape the moral and aesthetic landscape of the folklore. Furthermore, the article illustrates through examples that fairy tales are one of the most prominent factors in revealing a nation’s culture.