Izvestiya of Saratov University.
Philology. Journalism
ISSN 1817-7115 (Print)
ISSN 2541-898X (Online)

Literary criticism

A Commentary in Parentheses as a Means of Manifesting the Author’s Personality in the Memoir Book by A. I. Solzhenitsyn The Oak and the Calf

The article analyzes parenthetical statements by A. I. Solzhenitsyn on the material of the ‘sketches of literary life’ – The Oak and the Calf. It is proved that this type of narrative is an important means of manifesting the author’s personality in the writer’s memoirs.

The Reality of Evil in One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by A. I. Solzhenitsyn

In the article the problem of evil revealed in Solzhenitsyn’s story as the terrible reality of the fallen world is considered in the aspect of the significant situations of the test to which the camp society and the hero are subjected. According to the analysis, in the course of the narration, into which the situations of testing are interwoven, the essence of the camp society is revealed as a definite structure of life, and the character of the hero and his system of values are tested.
 

Special Features of the Portrait Genre in the Russian Literature of the 20th Century: V. P. Nekrasov’s Little Portraits

The article studies special features of the portrait genre in the Russian literature of the 20th century. Alongside traditional genre techniques in his cycle Little Portraits, V. P. Nekrasov uses his signature ones designed to reveal the individuality of the character, which allows us to talk about the genre evolution.

Russia in James Hilton’s Knight Without Armour

Against the vogue for Russia in British travel books of the 1930s, the paper brings back to light James Hilton’s novel Knight Without Armour (1933), set mainly in Russia in Revolutionary years. This entertainment novel is shown to lack the excessive political stance on Russia found in the travel genre of the period. Hilton creates a nice balance between general Western stereotypes of Russia and his individual vision, thus normalizing the reception of Russia for Western reader.

Dante’s Motives in A. P. Chekhov’s Story Student

The article focuses on studying the motives of the first canto of Inferno in A. P. Chekhov’s story Student. Possible allusions to the first canto are evident in Chekhov’s choice of the time and place of where the character experiences his spiritual drama, in the semantics and function of the locuses, and key motives highlighting the character’s path. The author assumes that Dante’s ideals might have given rise to Chekhov’s idea of the unity of life in the world.

The Image of the Garden in the Novel La Faute de l’Abbé Mouret by Emile Zola

The article focuses on the garden as a literary image based on the archetype and some mythological allusions. The structure of the garden is analyzed in detail as the novel space at variance and in connection with the naturalistic aesthetic approach.

Two Philarets: On the Special Features of the Saints’ Images in the Works by N. S. Leskov

The article attempts to study the methods of depicting saints in the texts by N. S. Leskov on the example of the images of saint bishops Philaret Drozdov and Philaret Amphiteatrov. The polarity of expressive means in the descriptions of the characters is emphasized as largely driven by the narrator’s pathos. The analysis is based not only on the material of the Trifles from the Life of Archbishops, but also of some other works.

Social and Cultural Significance of Reading as the Subject of Empirical Study: Reality and Possibilities

The article updates the issue of theoretical and practical understanding of how the reading activity is transforming these days. The author proves the necessity of developing an in-depth content of the questionnaire technique in order to study reading due to its social and cultural value and the current agenda of modern literary education.

The Issue of Peasantry in M. Gorky’s World View and Oeuvre

The article deals with the topic of peasantry – one of the most important topics in M. Gorky’s socio-cultural paradigm, which still presents a challenge in M. Gorky’s studies. The comprehensive coverage of the problems of ‘town and country’, the ‘peasants and revolution’ based on the biographical facts, prose, essays and the author’s correspondence of the 1920s – early 1930s, conclusively disproves the persistent claim of Gorky’s ‘dislike’ and his ‘distrustful’ attitude towards the peasant.

Spiritual Conflict Generators in the ‘Romantic’ Cycle Autumn by B. Pasternak

The article studies the poetic cycle Autumn by B. Pasternak, which concludes his book of poems Themes and Variations (1916–1922). The imagery system of the cycle and its plot, reflecting the relationships between the lyrical hero and his beloved, are analyzed. The role of spiritual conflict generators as important cycle-formative elements is noted. The intertextual connections with the Bible and W. Shakespeare’s play Hamlet are highlighted.

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