What kind of animal was Bagheera from Mowgli? On the issue that Bagheera is a male character in the original

Critics' opinions

Transformation of a character in Russian culture

According to Kipling's book, Bagheera is male, but in the classic Russian and Polish translations of "Mowgli", as well as in the Soviet cartoon "Mowgli" Bagheera is female. The female Bagheera is very elegant, graceful, mocking, and beautiful. Bagheera is the embodiment of female beauty, harmony, character, and the soul of the jungle.

Kipling's image of Bagheera, according to M. Eliferova, is unambiguous and personifies a warrior hero. In connection with Shere Khan, a confrontation between two opposites “hero - antihero” is formed. The relationship between Bagheera and Mowgli is based on male friendship, and not on motherhood/sonship. Changing the gender of the character, as the researcher writes about it, leads to a complex perception of the plot: “The transformation of Bagheera into a female makes the clear and transparent Kipling plot difficult to understand: why, for example, doubling maternal care - isn’t the She-Wolf coping with the responsibilities of raising Mowgli?” .

A similar transformation in Russian culture occurred with another Kipling character - “The Cat that Walked by itself.”

Character history

Bagheera was born in captivity in the Raja's menagerie in Udaipur, and after the death of her mother began to yearn for freedom. When she grew and became strong enough, she was able to break the lock of the cage and escape into the jungle. Bagheera once tells all this to Mowgli, and shows a hairless place on her neck under the chin - a mark from a collar, and no one except him knows that she once sat on a chain.

In the jungle, thanks to her cunning and agility, she won the respect of all animals except the tiger Shere Khan. According to Bagheera, she is more terrible than Shere Khan due to her knowledge of human customs.

Since Bagheera grew up among people, she has an understanding that man is the king of animals, so Bagheera is the first of the jungle inhabitants to recognize Mowgli.

She, like other animals, cannot withstand Mowgli’s gaze, but she understands why: Mowgli is reasonable, he is human.

Very interesting material about how male heroes become, after translation into Russian, female heroes. It turns out that Milne the Owl from Winnie the Pooh, for example, is not an owl, but an “Owl”, or an Owl. But the most terrible translation is the translation into Russian of Kipling's The Jungle Book. The thoroughly sexy and feminine Bagheera from the cartoon is actually a leopard.

“The practice of ignoring the author’s gender identification of a character and proceeding instead from the literal Russian translation of his name in some cases leads to anecdotal distortions of perception. The most curious example is Bagheera from Kipling’s “The Jungle Book.” Novels about Mowgli translated by N. Daruzes were at one time extracted from the collection and published in a separate cycle as “The Book of Mowgli.” Such an editorial decision may be controversial, but as an adaptation for children it has a right to exist (although “The Jungle Book” as a whole was also written by Kipling, if not for children, then for youth - it is no coincidence that the story about Mowgli’s marriage, mentioned in one of the short stories of “The Jungle Book” as “a story for big ones”), was not included there. A much more ill-conceived decision was to change the gender of Bagheera, who in the original, alas, was male. What the vast majority of Russians, who are so fond of this character, do not suspect.

In general, the name Bageerah is masculine. Much more often it is found in the form “Bagir” (including among some peoples of Russia). In the original, the image of Bagheera is completely unambiguous - he is a warrior hero, equipped with an aura of romantic oriental flavor. He is contrasted with Shere Khan as a noble hero versus a robber. The model of behavior of the aristocratic horseman fits both his initiative to reconcile the warring parties with the help of a ransom for Mowgli, and his retrospectively told story about captivity and escape (the latter is the topos of Orientalist literature). The relationship between Bagheera and Mowgli in the original is a relationship of male friendship, and not at all motherhood/sonship. The transformation of Bagheera into a female makes Kipling's clear and transparent plot difficult to understand: why, for example, doubling maternal care - isn't the She-Wolf coping with the responsibilities of raising Mowgli? The true nature of the relationship between Bagheera and Shere Khan (hero - anti-hero) becomes obscured. Finally, with such an interpretation of the image of Bagheera, a number of fragments from the short story “Spring Run” are missing, which the translator is simply not able to cope with.

We are talking about one of the most beautiful lyrical images of the awakening of youthful sexuality in world literature. In N. Daruzes's translation, only vague hints remain from these parts of the text. One can, of course, assume that Soviet censorship played a role here, although it is surprising that a text that was quite suitable for Victorian teenagers could be considered unacceptable for Soviet ones. But, at least in part, the reason for the editing is precisely Bagheera's gender change. In the original, Bagheera is preparing for a date with a female, and the meaning of Mowgli’s question (is it appropriate for Bagheera to frolic and roll with his paws in the air?) is completely obvious: Mowgli accuses Bagheera of insufficiently courageous behavior. Mowgli also experiences boyish jealousy - because Bagheera, just in accordance with the song about Stenka Razin, “exchanged” military male friendship for a woman, and, without yet realizing it to himself, envy, since it turns out that Bagheera has something that he doesn’t have. In translation, it is difficult to extract any clear meaning from the dialogue between Mowgli and Bagheera, except that Mowgli is for some reason unhappy. The very development of events, as a result of the loss of several important fragments, lost its harmony and logic in “Spring Run”, since the semantic axis of the entire novel fell out: Mowgli believes that his fighting friends betrayed him, carried away by something, from his point of view, unworthy of men. Of course, with Bagheera’s female appearance, Mowgli’s jealousy changes vector, and the entire psychological drama takes on unintended bestiality tones - therefore, N. Daruzes’ attempt to minimize Kipling’s psychologism and eroticism by radically shortening the text is quite understandable.

But even the transformations that Kipling’s text underwent can be considered “an error within the normal range” in comparison with what happened to the image of Bagheera in Russian popular culture - especially after in the cartoon the panther acquired defiant femininity, speaking in a languid contralto and flirtatious manner stretching with almost every remark. In the minds of Russians, Bagheera is the standard of feminine sexuality. A Yandex query for the word “Bagheera” yielded about a million links, so I had to limit myself to viewing the first thirty. Among these thirty (not counting duplicate links): three beauty salons, two belly dance studios, one store selling belly dance costumes, one erotic massage parlor, and one use as a female online handle. Kipling would have been surprised.

Should such things happen in the process of intercultural communication? It seems to me that they should not, and the fact that they periodically occur is not a basis for their legitimation. For example, it has long been customary to treat with arrogance the translation tradition of the 19th century of changing the Western names of heroes into Russian ones, and many are indignant at V. Nabokov because in “Anna in Wonderland” he attempted to revive this tradition: the modern reader wants to see in foreign literature it is a foreign reality, and not what he sees around him every day. But why is replacing a man with a woman better than replacing Smith with Kuznetsov? Perhaps in the first case the degree of miscommunication is even more serious.

If we consider the reasons why such a protracted misunderstanding occurred with Bagheera, then at the entrance we will again find the only somewhat thorough motivation: the grammatical gender of the Russian word “panther”. It has already been said that the means of overcoming gender difficulties is the correct selection of synonyms. A lot and often is said about the richness of the Russian language, but in practice they do not know how and do not want to use it. If Bagheera is male, then he is a leopard.

There is an erroneous popular belief that only the black variety of leopard is called a panther. This is not true. “Leopard” and “panther” are synonyms. The word “panther” is not currently a zoological term. In the 19th century, they tried to distinguish between two separate species - leopard and panther, but not by color, but by physique or habitat, and some zoologists even then considered these concepts synonymous. It is simply enough to call Bagheera a “black leopard” several times - and for greater belligerence and orientality, he could also be called a “black leopard,” since “leopard” is one of the common Russian names for a leopard in the old days, and the leopard with which Mtsyri fought, from a zoological point of view, he was a leopard.

The sad thing is that the translation by N. Daruzes (like the translation of “Winnie the Pooh” by B. Zakhoder) is actually very good and is perceived as canonical. In order to translate both Kipling and Milne anew, correcting gender misunderstandings, we need at least equally brilliant translators, otherwise their translations will certainly fail. As a maximum, these translators must be able to convince the reader that their translations are truly superior, since they will still be compared with Daruzes and Zakhoder, and most often in favor of the latter (there is such a thing as the inertia of the first impression). Carroll's translation space is much more flexible and democratic. In this regard, “Alice” was both unlucky (the absence of a canonical Russian text and any consensus between supporters of different translations) and lucky (openness to further improvement of translation practice).

Observations of gender shifts in Russian translations reveal an interesting picture: in all cases, without exception, known to the author of this article, the shift occurs in the same direction - a male character in translation turns into a female one. There is a temptation to interpret this trend as a kind of Soviet “political correctness” - the desire to dilute the male company with female images. But when analyzing each specific case, no special motivations are found behind it - only a mechanical approach to conveying the character’s name and the lack of reflection on gender as a special translation problem.”

For a long time, Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera and other jungle inhabitants remain the favorite heroes of children from different countries. These characters often appeared in cartoons and illustrations in books. This magical world was created in which a boy raised by wild animals settled, the English writer Rudyard Kipling.

R. Kipling's childhood

The writer’s fate itself is worthy of books, because it is in no way inferior to his novels. Lockwood Kipling and his wife Alice were born and raised in England. It was there that they met at Rudyard Lake. However, then life decreed that they ended up in colonial India. Lockwood was in charge of the school, while Alice, meanwhile, took care of the housework and was the most active woman the locals knew. It was there, in India, that the future writer was born.

Lockwood Kipling instilled in his son the idea that you need to try everything in your life from your own experience and not be afraid of change. This made Rudyard a great fan of adventure and travel. The mysterious world of India, impenetrable jungles and wild animals inflamed the mind and inspired the creation of stories.

When the future writer was six years old, he and his sister went to his parents’ homeland to get an education there. He considered the next six years of his life to be a real horror. After the freedom of India, he found himself in the arms of prim England, where he was severely punished for any offense. Kipling then continued his studies at the Devon Military School. Memories of him were painted in much warmer colors. Then Rudyard was imbued with respect for order and military service. And it was there that his talent as a writer was first noticed.

The mature years of R. Kipling

After graduation, Kipling returned to India and got a job there working for a newspaper. Then he made a long journey, the final destination of which was again England. He decided to conquer the cold and inaccessible country. And he succeeded. And not only the country was conquered, but also the beautiful Caroline, who agreed to marry Kipling. She gave birth to the writer’s daughter Josephine, whom he dearly loved.

With the beginning of the Anglo-Boer War, a dark streak began in the writer’s life. His views as an imperialist earned him contempt from some. First, Kipling's uncle and sister fell ill, and then he and Josephine. The girl did not survive the disease. For a long time they were afraid to tell Kipling about this, knowing how the death of his beloved daughter would cripple him.

At the same time, the novel “Kim” was written, which ensured Kipling’s posthumous fame. For a long time the writer disappeared from the readers' sight. Some even believed that he died. However, he simply could not write anymore. After Josephine's death, he also had to endure the death of his son, who went missing.

The last work that Rudyard Kipling wrote was an autobiography. However, the writer did not have time to finish it. He died in 1936.

The history of the creation of the work "The Jungle Book"

Bagheera and Mowgli are loved by many children. It is with The Jungle Book that for many people their acquaintance with Kipling begins. For some, this is where the work ends. It was created for a long time and with great love. And in order to trace the history of its creation, you need to turn to the writer’s childhood.

When Kipling was still living in India, he had a nanny - a local woman. She taught him Hindi and told him old tales and myths that had lived for centuries. The nanny's stories, coupled with the mystery of the Indian world, had a great influence on the future writer.

Despite the world described in The Jungle Book, Bagheera, Mowgli, Baloo and other heroes were born in the USA. It was there that the writer began writing one of the most important works of his career. Despite the fact that he was brought up on myths, it is difficult to find a single one whose story would be accurately told in The Jungle Book. Rather, based on what was told and the writer’s own experiences, a new myth was created. And he was loved by people from all over the world. Especially for the reason that there were practically no books about India at that time. Especially such interesting ones.

Mowgli

One of the main characters of the two “Jungle Books” was a little boy. In his early years he found himself far from civilization, in the world of animals. He was sheltered by a family of wolves. Over the years, while Mowgli was growing up, all the animals got used to him and were not afraid of him at all. And the wolves began to consider the boy one of their pack. However, not everyone had such a peaceful thought.

Tiger Shere Khan, his accomplice Tabaqui and other smaller henchmen refused to accept the “human cub”. So Mowgli became a stumbling block in the jungle world.

Baloo the bear

Bagheera, Mowgli and Baloo became best friends. Among this trio, the bear was especially loved by the children.

Baloo is one of the old inhabitants of the jungle. For Mowgli, he became something of a father. No one knew The Jungle Book better than the old bear, so he was chosen to play the role of the one who would teach the rules to the boy. Baloo represents strength. He boldly stands up for his little ward every time he is in danger.

Kipling himself said that the name for the character was borrowed from Hindi. In the language, this word denoted several types of bears.

Bagheera, black panther

Baloo did not remain the only educator of the “human child”. Another faithful friend of the boy was a panther named Bagheera. It is believed that this character is the personification of love. And this is one of the few heroes whose story is known.

Bagheera did not like to talk about her past. Mowgli, however, inspired her trust. Therefore, one day she told him that she was born in the menagerie of a rich and influential rajah. For a long time she lived on a chain. But then Bagheera's mother died. And the panther plunged into the abyss of melancholy. The loneliness pressed so hard that Bagheera decided to escape. The attempt was successful. The jungle world has welcomed a new inhabitant. However, Shere Khan became imbued with dislike for Bagheera. The hostility worsened when a boy appeared in the animal world.

As Bagheera said, Mowgli was the only one who knew the full story of her life. Even Baloo had no idea that his friend was once on a chain. This hero of The Jungle Book is better acquainted with the human world than others. That’s why Mowgli will turn to her to decide where he wants to live. Bagheera told her pupil about that world. It was from her that the boy learned about the “red flower”, which even Shere Khan was afraid of.

For many, the main question remains who the panther Bagheera is. Boy or girl? In fact, Kipling intended Bagheera to be a male representative. However, in Russian the word “panther” is feminine. That's why Bagheera became a woman. The same metamorphosis occurred with the hero in Poland.

Bagheera, Mowgli and Baloo, their comrades and enemies, not only open up the world of mysterious India, but also prepare children for life in the human world. Instructive and interesting tales will be read and reread for a long time.

"The Jungle Book" and "The Second Jungle Book".

Transformation of a character in Russian culture

According to the book, Bagheera is male, but in the classic Russian translation of “Mowgli,” as well as in the Soviet cartoon “Mowgli,” Bagheera is female.

In general, the name Bageerah is masculine. Much more often it is found in the form “Bagir” (including among some peoples of Russia). In the original, the image of Bagheera is completely unambiguous - he is a warrior hero, equipped with an aura of romantic oriental flavor. He is contrasted with Shere Khan as a noble hero versus a robber. The model of behavior of the aristocratic horseman fits both his initiative to reconcile the warring parties with the help of a ransom for Mowgli, and his retrospectively told story about captivity and escape (the latter is the topos of Orientalist literature). The relationship between Bagheera and Mowgli in the original is a relationship of male friendship, and not at all motherhood/sonship. The transformation of Bagheera into a female makes Kipling's clear and transparent plot difficult to understand: why, for example, doubling maternal care - isn't the She-Wolf coping with the responsibilities of raising Mowgli?
M. Eliferova. Bagheera said...

A similar transformation in Russian culture occurred with another Kipling character - “The Cat Who Walked By Himself.”

Character history

Bagheera was born in captivity in the Raja's menagerie in Udaipur, and after his mother's death began to yearn for freedom. When he grew up and became strong enough, he was able to break the lock of the cage and escape into the jungle, where, thanks to his cunning and agility, he won the respect of all the animals except the tiger Shere Khan. Bagheera once tells all this to Mowgli, and no one except him knows that he was once on a chain.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

See what “Bagheera (panther)” is in other dictionaries:

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Books

Mowgli, Rudyard Kipling. The story of a boy who grew up in a wolf pack and was raised by wise animals is a story about friendship and devotion, about wisdom, goodness, kinship and justice. No wonder the heroes of this book are...

Fictional character in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book.

Transformation of a character in Russian culture

According to Kipling's book, Bagheera is male, but in the classic Russian and Polish translations of "Mowgli", as well as in the Soviet cartoon "Mowgli", Bagheera is female. The female Bagheera is very elegant, graceful, mocking, and beautiful. Bagheera is the embodiment of female beauty, harmony, character, and the soul of the jungle.

In general, the name Bageerah is masculine. Much more often it is found in the form “Bagir” (including among some peoples of Russia). In the original, the image of Bagheera is completely unambiguous - he is a warrior hero, equipped with an aura of romantic oriental flavor. He is contrasted with Shere Khan as a noble hero versus a robber. The model of behavior of the aristocratic horseman fits both his initiative to reconcile the warring parties with the help of a ransom for Mowgli, and his retrospectively told story about captivity and escape (the latter is the topos of Orientalist literature). The relationship between Bagheera and Mowgli in the original is a relationship of male friendship, and not at all motherhood/sonship. The transformation of Bagheera into a female makes Kipling's clear and transparent plot difficult to understand: why, for example, doubling maternal care - isn't the She-Wolf coping with the responsibilities of raising Mowgli?

A similar transformation in Russian culture occurred with another Kipling character - “The Cat Who Walked by itself.”

Character history

Bagheera was born in captivity in the Raja's menagerie in Udaipur, and after the death of his mother he began to yearn for freedom. When he grew up enough and became strong, he was able to break the lock of the cage and escape into the jungle, where, thanks to his cunning and agility, he won the respect of all animals except the tiger Sher -Hana. Bagheera once tells all this to Mowgli, and no one except him knows that he (s) once sat on a chain.

Notes

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

See what “Bagheera (character)” is in other dictionaries:

This term has other meanings, see Bagheera. Bagheera in the Soviet cartoon “Mowgli” (1967 1971) Bagheera (English: Bagheera, translated from Hindi as leopard) is a black panther, a fictional character in Rudyard Kipling’s books “... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Mowgli (meanings). Mowgli. Illustration for The Second Jungle Book. Drawing by John Lockwood Kipling ... Wikipedia