Two "Prodigal Sons" of Russian Literature and the Problematics of the “Subject Range”: Images of Earth Fruit by N.S. Gumilyov and I. A. Bunin
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52547/iarll.18.133Keywords:
Tradition, Image, Artistic Model, The Gift, Interpretation, N. S. Gumilyov, I. A. Bunin.Abstract
The article is devoted to the interpretation of two poems: “The Prodigal Son” by Gumilev and Bunin “And flowers, and bumblebees...” in the context of the Gospel parable and the Christian picture of the world. The poems are considered on the basis of a comparative analysis. The comparison is based on the correlation of object images with the image of the world, religious meaning and ethical feeling. For the interpretation of images, the concept of an artistic (literary) model is introduced, which implies a direct connection of the chosen images with the basic system of the author's world perception. The method of historical poetics is connected in this study with the semantic analysis of subject and natural images. These images are presented as elements of a literary model that embodies through aesthetics the value ethics of good deed as a continuation of natural beauty and generosity. In the process of analysis, the model of the "Eden Text" is revealed, which serves as a prototype for the interpretation of the world of objects as a gift from God. This model can be considered a variant of the embodiment of an idyllic genre.
Extended abstract:
The article is devoted to the interpretation of two Russian poems of the "Silver century" poets: "The prodigal son" by N.S. Gumilyov and "And flowers and humblebees..." by I.A. Bunin in the context of the initial Gospel parable and the problems of the Christian picture of the world.
The principal question which is considered in the present investigation is the specific character of the nature and subject images of these two "silver century" poets as the authors' world outlook reflection.
In the investigation, a hypothesis is suggested about common character of the approach to the material world by N.S. Gumilyov and I.A. Bunin, expressed in subject images as an incarnation of the religion since existence and ethic feeling, and also about this community relationship with the previous tradition, accentuating a happy and light perception of the material world.
For the basis and the following confirmation of the present hypothesis, a comparative method of investigation was used; the analysis of the artistic images in accordance with concrete literary situation - such directions as ageism (Gumilyov) and neorealism (Bunin). For the clearest analysis, a conception of the "artistic-literary model" is also involved. The model implies a direct connection of the chosen images with the basic system with the author's world perception and with the definite group of former genres. The method of historical poeticisms connected in this study with the semantic analysis of the subject and natural images of such genre as idyll.
Separately, the illegality of such method in the academic literary criticism as the theological treatment of an author's artistic text is stipulated. Religious motives have to be taken into consideration in the tradition of their various and determined by the cultural processes of the creative incarnation.
As a confirmation, examples of different stile incarnations of idyllic texts in Russian literature before the "silver century" are given.
The novelty of the present investigation consists in the following. Natural and subject images are presented as elements of the literary model that embodies, through aesthetics, the value ethics of good did. In the process of the analysis, the model of the "Eden text" is revealed which serves as a prototype for the interpretation of the objects world as a gift from God and is connected with idyll genetically.
The novelty of the present investigation also consists in the semantic analysis of the image of the home fox from the Gumilyov's poem which in comparison with the image of the red dog from the poem by Bunin, accentuates a nostalgic memory about the childish innocence and friendly interaction with the world of alive nature. In the context of the archaic style, the concept of "the first beast" sends us to the Gospel text about Adam.
In conclusions, we give an account of the arguments substantiating the model revealed by Gumilyov and Bunin as an artistic-literary incarnation of the universe picture in the context of the Christian literary tradition. With the common genre, differences of two secular literary interpretations of the parable about the prodigal son, their invariant includes the aggregate of such key aspects as semantics of the gift in the subject images; joining of this semantics to the plot of falling away - penance - gratitude as with the plot "the return to Eden"; actualization of the "Eden text" through an "idyllic text".
References
- Бунин И.А. (2006). Полное собрание сочинений в 13 т. Т.2. – М.: Воскресенье.
- Гуковский Г.А. (1959). Реализм Гоголя. – М.: ГИХЛ.
- Гумилев Н.С. (1998). Полное собрание сочинений в 10 тт. Т 2. – М.: Воскресенье.
- Гумилев Н.С. (2001). Полное собрание сочинений в 10 тт. Т 4. – М.: Воскресенье.
- Завельская Д.А. (2020). «Возвращение в Рай» в идиллии и оде И.А. Крылова: художественная модель и мировосприятие// Филологические заметки. Т. 1. № 18. С. 156−169.
- Захарова В.Т. (2013). Проза Ив. Бунина: аспекты поэтики. – Н. Новгород: НПГУ.
- Кихней Л.Г., Меркель Е.В. (2015). Аксиология повседневных вещей в поэтике акмеизма // Вестник Томского государственного университета. Филология. № 1 (33). С.129–136.
- Короленко В.Г. [Журналист] (1904). О сборниках «Знания» // Русское Богатство, № 8. С. 132−146.
- Майков А.Н. (1984). Сочинения в двух томах Т. 1. – М: Правда.
- Радомская Т.И. (2006). Свет в художественном пространстве дома: Пушкин и древнерусская книжная традиция// Вестник Самарского государственного университета, 2006, № 10-2 (50), С. 43−49.
- Сливицкая О.В. (2004). «Повышенное чувство жизни»: Мир Ивана Бунина. – М.: Издательство РГГУ.
- Старыгина (2017). Дарение: от устойчивого рождественского мотива к сквозному мотиву в святочных рассказах Н. С. Лескова // Проблемы исторической поэтики. 2017. Т. 15 (№ 4). С. 38−58.
- Толстой А.К. (2001). Собрание сочинений в 5 тт. Т. 4. – М.: Терра.
- Топоров В.Н. (1995). Миф. Ритуал. Символ. Образ: Исследования в области мифопоэтического: Избранное. – М.: Изд. группа «Прогресс-Культура».
- Филатов А. В. (2017). Содержание понятия «адамизм» и состав адамического мифа Н. С. Гумилева//Stephanos. 2017. № 3 (23). С. 117−125.
- Хализев В. Е. (1982). Художественный мир писателя и бытовая культура (на материале произведений Н. С. Лескова) // Контекст: Литературно-теоретические исследования. 1982, т. 1981. С. 110–145.
- Ходасевич В. Ф. (1996). Собрание сочинений в 4 тт. Т. 2. – М.: Согласие.
- Чудаков А. П. (1986). Предметный мир литературы (К проблеме категорий исторической поэтики) // Историческая поэтика. Итоги и перспективы изучения. – М.: Наука, С. 251–291.
- Чудаков А. П. (1992). Слово − вещь − мир: от Пушкина до Толстого. – М.: Современный писатель.
- Шубинский В. И. (2004). Николай Гумилев. Жизнь поэта. – СПб.: Вита нова.
Bibliography
- Bunin I.A. (2006). Polnoe sobranie sochinenij v 13 t. T.2. – M.: Voskresen'e.
- Gukovskij G.A. (1959). Realizm Gogolja. – M.: GIHL.
- Gumilev N.S. (1998). Polnoe sobranie sochinenij v 10 tt. T 2. – M.: Voskresen'e.
- Gumilev N.S. (2001). Polnoe sobranie sochinenij v 10 tt. T 4. – M.: Voskresen'e.
- Zavel'skaja D.A. (2020). «Vozvrashhenie v Raj» v idillii i ode I.A. Krylova: hudozhestvennaja model' i mirovosprijatie// Filologicheskie zametki. T. 1. № 18. S. 156−169.
- Zaharova V.T. (2013). Proza Iv. Bunina: aspekty pojetiki. – N. Novgorod: NPGU.
- Kihnej L.G., Merkel' E.V. (2015). Aksiologija povsednevnyh veshhej v pojetike akmeizma // Vestnik Tomskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Filologija. № 1 (33). S.129–136.
- Korolenko V.G. [Zhurnalist] (1904). O sbornikah «Znanija» // Russkoe Bogatstvo, № 8. S. 132−146.
- Majkov A.N. (1984). Sochinenija v dvuh tomah T. 1. – M: Pravda.
- Radomskaja T.I. (2006). Svet v hudozhestvennom prostranstve doma: Pushkin i drevnerusskaja knizhnaja tradicija// Vestnik Samarskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta, 2006, № 10-2 (50), S. 43−49.
- Slivickaja O.V. (2004). «Povyshennoe chuvstvo zhizni»: Mir Ivana Bunina. – M.: Izdatel'stvo RGGU.
- Starygina (2017). Darenie: ot ustojchivogo rozhdestvenskogo motiva k skvoznomu motivu v svjatochnyh rasskazah N.S. Leskova // Problemy istoricheskoj pojetiki. 2017. T. 15 (№ 4). S. 38−58.
- Tolstoj A.K. (2001). Sobranie sochinenij v 5 tt. T. 4. – M.: Terra.
- Toporov V.N. (1995). Mif. Ritual. Simvol. Obraz: Issledovanija v oblasti mifopojeticheskogo: Izbrannoe. – M.: Izd. gruppa «Progress-Kul'tura».
- Filatov A.V. (2017). Soderzhanie ponjatija «adamizm» i sostav adamicheskogo mifa N. S. Gumileva//Stephanos. 2017. № 3 (23). S. 117−125.
- Halizev V.E. (1982). Hudozhestvennyj mir pisatelja i bytovaja kul'tura (na materiale proizvedenij N. S. Leskova) // Kontekst: Literaturno-teoreticheskie issledovanija. 1982, t. 1981. S. 110–145.
- Hodasevich V.F. (1996). Sobranie sochinenij v 4 tt. T. 2. – M.: Soglasie.
- Chudakov A.P. (1986). Predmetnyj mir literatury (K probleme kategorij istoricheskoj pojetiki) // Istoricheskaja pojetika. Itogi i perspektivy izuchenija. – M.: Nauka, S. 251–291.
- Chudakov A.P. (1992). Slovo − veshh' − mir: ot Pushkina do Tolstogo. – M.: Sovremennyj pisatel'.
- Shubinskij V.I. (2004). Nikolaj Gumilev. Zhizn' pojeta. – SPb.: Vita.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Issledovatel'skiy Zhurnal Russkogo Yazyka i Literatury
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
"Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0)"
