FROM COSMIC ORDER TO INNER REALITY: THE UNDERWORLD AS A MODEL OF MODERN SUBJECTIVITY
Abstract
This article examines the transformation of the concept of the underworld from an element of ancient cosmic order into a model of modern subjectivity. Drawing on mythological traditions such as Hades, Duat, and Hel, as well as psychological theories developed by Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, the study explores how the underworld has shifted from an external metaphysical space to an internal psychological reality. The article argues that this transformation reflects a broader shift in human self-understanding, where symbolic descent into the underworld corresponds to processes of confronting the unconscious, integrating the shadow, and forming modern identity. The underworld is thus reinterpreted as a metaphorical structure through which the complexities of contemporary subjectivity can be understood.