Origins of symbolism in ethnic culture

The article is devoted to the origins of symbolism as a whole in the direction of philosophy, literature and culture in general to clarify the nature of ethnic culture. The author attempts to develop scientific concepts taking into account the character of mythological concepts, experience of European and American philosophy in the research of the essence and meaning of signs, symbols, characters, symbols, Romanticism, Russian symbolism theory. The symbol is as old as human consciousness. Its comprehension goes complex evolution. The beginning was founded in the mythological representation. The original interpretation of the sign meaning is represented in the work of the American philosopher Charles W. Morris. Morris’s looks found their continuation in Husserl’s theory of sign. Romanticism became the origin of the symbolism in the culture of XIX-XX centuries. But often the person’s representation about the role of the original plan, which he lays in an object and further the process of rethinking the notion (objectification-disobjectification), is the exclusive participant at this semantic field. Symbolic representation of the individual and society in the process of historic development are filled with changing or new meaning. To read the true meaning of the symbol should be taken taking into account many factors. It sounds the idea of «symbolic» field.