Mythic Sovereignty: Magic, Sacred Kingship, and Narrative Cosmology in Giambattista Basile’s The Pentamerone
Bodhi International Journal of Research in Humanities Arts and Science June 3, 2026 K.T. Mahaswetha, Dr. T. Ganga Parameswari
Giambattista Basile's Pentamerone (1634–1636) is an early and influential European fairy-tale collection that preserves older mythic traditions of ritual transformation, sacred kingship, and cosmic justice. Examining selected tales—"The Myrtle," "Sun, Moon and Talia," and "Cenerentola"—through a mythological and archetypal lens reveals recurring themes of persecution, symbolic death and rebirth, magical mediation, and dynastic restoration. Magic functions as a moral and symbolic force restoring balance and affirming rightful power. Grotesque bodily changes and fragmentation reflect ancient fertility symbols and seasonal renewal cycles. The article argues that the Pentamerone bridges myth, power, and storytelling, with a narrative structure of chaos, challenge, and restoration where enchantment, justice, and kingship maintain symbolic order.