ANTHROPOMORPHIC TRICKSTERS: MYTHOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT

Abstract

Tricksters are anthropomorphic figures in mythological systems who break rules, possess dualistic characteristics, and generate change. This anthropo­­morphism creates a symbolic platform for humans to analyze themselves and their society. Tricksters can be comic, dangerous, and enlightening at the same time. This article explores the embodiment of tricksters in anthropomorphic form that is, with human traits. The aim is to identify their roles in mythological systems, their symbolic functions, and their cross-cultural similarities. The trickster archetype is a widespread phenomenon in world mythologies and possesses complex semantics. Although the anthropomorphic trickster figure appears differently across cultures, its function and symbolic meaning remain similar: changeability, cunning, freedom, moral duality, and transformation. These figures serve as universal keys to understanding human psychology and cultures.