Abstract:
This thesis is the study of "giants" ; the type of character in northern Thai folktale in order to analyze giants; roles and symbolic meanings from two hundred and thirty-eight versions of one hundred and thirty-nine stories of the northern Thai folktale in both literary and oral versions that have already been printed. The giants in northern Thai folktale can be classified into two groups, namely main character and supporting character. The roles of the giants who are main character can be classified into three groups, which are; protagonist, heroine, and antagonist. The roles of the giants who are supporting character can be classified into four groups, which are; antagonist, the helper, the rewarder and punisher, and tester. The symbolic meanings of the giants in northern Thai folktale can be classified into three groups. First, giants have the symbolic meaning about religious, as they are the symbol of indigenous belief and Buddhist belief. Second, they have symbolic meaning about human, as they are the symbol of indigenous people, people in Thai family, and powerful person. Third, they also have symbolic meaning about Buddhism doctrine, as they are the symbol of micchaditthi (wrong view) and kilesa (evil passion). This research explained the roles and the symbolic meanings of giants in northern Thai folktale that can be used for studying in other genres of folklore and can be the reference for another related study fields. Moreover, this research can be applied for studying other characters in Thai folktales.