The Nature of the Word in Philosophical Prose of Russian Classics

Authors

  • Alexander Emmanuilovich Eremejev
  • Elena Alekseevna Akelkina
  • Eleonora Ivanovna Kopteva
  • Gennadiy Viktorovich Kosyakov

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7596/taksad.v9i3.2841

Keywords:

Philosophical prose, oxymoron, etymologization, paradoxicality, aphoristic nature, meaningful repetition, didactic allegorical genre.

Abstract

The study discusses and systematizes various features and methods of word generalization in the fictional philosophical prose of Russian writers. The research methodology for the phenomenon of philosophical prose in Russian literature was developed throughout several decades, including the scholarship of Omsk scientists. The identity of the philosophical word is an acute problem, which is generally due to the actively continuing development of philosophical prose in contemporary literature. The study of philosophical prose is based on all the key methods of literary text analysis developed in Russian literary studies: holistic analysis, comparative historical method, genetic analysis, mythopoetic analysis, etc. At the same time, the analysis of philosophical prose needs to meet the case of logical and figurative principle correlation within the artistic thinking of the author. The genre and style analyses are necessary for understanding the synthesis of artistic traditions in philosophical prose. The analysis of rhetorical techniques in conjunction with the analysis of metaphors, allegories, and symbols contributes to the understanding of the specifics of generalization in philosophical prose. Understanding the genesis and evolution of philosophical prose allows the authors to trace how the concept of life-building, which is very characteristic of the national literary tradition, is transformed into an auto concept of philosophical prose of such authors as A. S. Pushkin, V. F. Odoyevsky, A. I. Herzen, F. M Dostoevsky, and others. The study demonstrates that philosophical prose responds to the most important spiritual, generally cultural phenomena; its literary tradition establishes human life experience as the object of its image. The subject of reflection simultaneously becomes an object. A reflecting consciousness is not only depicted but studied as well in this paper. This also applies to the forms of thinking, including those experiencing a spiritual crisis. Philosophical prose is often implemented in marginal literary genres and forms that are genetically related to the didactic allegorical tradition: anecdote, parable, diatribe, maxim, sermon, etc. The works of distinguished authors usually take the form of philosophical prose such as “Russian Nights” by V. F. Odoevsky, “My Past and Thoughts” by A. I. Herzen, “A Writer's Diary” by F. M. Dostoevsky. This paper demonstrates numerous approaches to the analysis of these literary works.

References

Akelkina, E. A. (1998). In search of wholeness of spirit, God, and eternity: Directions for development of Russian philosophical prose of the end of the XIX century. Omsk, Russia: Dostoevsky Omsk State University.

Akelkina, E. A. (2012). F. M. Dostoevsky and the philosophic nature of Russian modern culture. Omsk, Russia: Non-State Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education Omsk Humanitarian Academy.

Akelkina, E. A. (2015). The philosophical prose of the “A Writer’s Diary” (1876-1877) by F. M. Dostoevsky: The fate of the cultural tradition. Omsk, Russia: Dostoevsky Omsk State University Publishing house.

Averintsev, S. S. (1979). Classical Greek philosophy as a phenomenon of historical and literary series (pp. 41-81). In S. S. Averintsev (Ed.), New in modern classical philology. Moscow, USSR: Nauka.

Averintsev, S. S. (2004). Image of antiquity in the Western European culture of the XX century. Saint Petersburg, Russia: Azbuka-klassika.

Bakhtin, M. M. (1975). Questions of literature and aesthetics. Research of different years. Moscow, USSR: Khudozhestvennaya Literatura.

Bakhtin, M. M. (1979a). Problems of Dostoevsky’s poetics. Moscow, USSR: Sovetskaya Rossia.

Bakhtin, M. M. (1979b). Aesthetics of verbal creativity. Moscow, USSR: Iskusstvo.

Bakhtin, M. M. (2000). Epos and novel. Saint Petersburg, Russia: Azbuka.

Batkin, L. M. (1985). On certain conditions of the cultural approach (pp. 303-312). In B. B. Piotrovsky, & A. A. Takho-Godi (Eds.), Ancient culture and modern science. Moscow, USSR: “Nauka”.

Bocharov, A. G. (1982). Infinite search. Artistic search for modern Soviet prose. Moscow, USSR: Sovetsky pisatel.

Chulkov, M. D. (1987). Peresmeshnik. In V. P. Stepanov (Ed.). Moscow, USSR: Sovetskaya Rossia.

Derzhavin, G. R. (2000). Notes (1743–1812). In Y. V. Sokortova (Ed.). Moscow, Russia: Misl.

Dostoevsky, F. M. (1980a). Complete works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 21). In V. G. Bazanov (Ed.). Leningrad, USSR: Nauka.

Dostoevsky, F. M. (1980b). Complete works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 24). In V. G. Bazanov (Ed.). Leningrad, USSR: Nauka.

Dostoevsky, F. M. (1980c). Complete works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 25). In V. G. Bazanov (Ed.). Leningrad, USSR: Nauka.

Dostoevsky, F. M. (1980d). Complete works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 26). In V. G. Bazanov (Ed.). Leningrad, USSR: Nauka.

Dostoevsky, F. M. (1981e). Complete works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 22). In V. G. Bazanov (Ed.). Leningrad, USSR: Nauka.

Dostoevsky, F. M. (1981f). Complete works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 23). In V. G. Bazanov (Ed.). Leningrad, USSR: Nauka.

Dostoevsky, F. M. (1984). Complete works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 27). In V. G. Bazanov (Ed.). Leningrad, USSR: Nauka.

Epshtein, M. N. (1978). Aforistika (pp. 82-85) In A. A. Surkov (Ed.), Brief literary encyclopedia (Vols. 1-9) (Vol. 9). Moscow, Russia: Sovetskaya enciclopediya.

Epstein, M. N. (1988). Paradoxes of novelty: On the literary development of the XIX-XX century. Moscow, Russia: Sovetsky pisatel.

Eremeyev, A. E. (1989). Russian philosophical prose (1820-1830). Tomsk, Russia: Tomsk University Publishing house.

Eremeyev, A. E. (1989). Russian philosophical prose (1820-1830). Tomsk, USSR: Tomsk State University Publishing house.

Eremeyev, A. E., & Kireyevsky, I. V. (1996). Literary and philosophical-aesthetic search (1820-1830). Omsk, Russia: Omsk State Pedagogical University Publishing house.

Eremeyev, A. E., & Kireyevsky, I. V. (1996). Literary and philosophical-aesthetic search (1820-1830). Omsk, Russia: Omsk State Pedagogical University Publishing house.

Eremeyev, A. E., Akelkina, E. A., Kosyakov, G. V., & Kopteva, E. I. (2019). Philosophical forms in the evolution of Russian artistic consciousness of the XVIII-XIX centuries. Omsk, Russia: Omsk Humanitarian Academy Publishing house.

Fonvizin, D. I. (1981). Essays. In N. N. Akopova, G. P. Makogonenko, & M. V. Ivanova (Eds.). Мoscow, USSR: Pravda.

Ginzburg, L. Y. (1971). On psychological prose. Leningrad, USSR: Sovetsky Pisatel.

Ginzburg, L. Y. (1987). Literature in search of reality. Leningrad, USSR: Sovetsky Pisatel.

Gogol, N. V. (1952). Complete works (Vols. 1-14). In N. F. Belchikov, & B. V. Tomashevsky (Eds.), Articles (Vol. 8). Moscow, USSR; Leningrad, USSR: USSR Academy of Sciences.

Goncharova, O. M. (2004). Power of tradition and "New Russia" in the literary consciousness of the second half of the XVIII century. Saint Petersburg, Russia: Publishing house of Russian Christian Academy for the Humanities.

Gulyga, A. V. (1978). Art in the age of science. Moscow, USSR: Nauka.

Herzen, A. I. (1956a). Collected works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 8.). In V. P. Volgin (Ed.). Moscow, Russia: Nauka.

Herzen, A. I. (1956b). Collected works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 9.). In V. P. Volgin (Ed.). Moscow, Russia: Nauka.

Herzen, A. I. (1956c). Collected works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 10). In V. P. Volgin (Ed.). Moscow, Russia: Nauka.

Herzen, A. I. (1957). Collected works (Vols. 1-30) (Vol. 11). In V. P. Volgin (Ed.). Moscow, Russia: Nauka.

Kalugin, D. (2008). The art of biography: The image of a person and its justification in Russian biographies of the mid-nineteenth century. New Literary Review, 91, 84-113.

Karamzin, N. M. (1964). Selected works (Vols. 1-2) (Vol. 1). In P. Berkova (Ed.). Moscow, USSR; Leningrad, USSR: Khudozhestvennaya Literatura.

Karamzin, N. M. (1984). Letters of a Russian traveler. In Y. M. Lotman, N. A. Marchenko, & B. A. Uspensky (Eds.). Leningrad, USSR: Nauka.

Kireyevsky, I. V. (1979). Criticism and aesthetics. In Y. V. Mann (Ed.). Moscow, USSR: Iskusstvo.

Kopteva, E. I. (2012). The origins of Russian philosophical prose in the literature of the late XVIII – early XIX centuries. Omsk, Russia: Omsk State Pedagogical University Publishing house.

Koshechko, A. N. (2011). Overcoming the inertia of genre thinking in “A Writer’s Diary” of F. M. Dostoevsky: On the problem of expression of existential consciousness (pp. 276-283). In O. S. Issers, & E. A. Akelkina (Eds.). Proceedings from the International scientific conference: Dostoyevsky’s works through the succession of ages and generations. Omsk, Russia: Obrazovanie Inform.

Kosyakov, G. V. (2007). Artistic ontology of immortality in Russian romantic lyrics. Omsk, Russia: Omsk State Pedagogical University Publishing house.

Kosyakov, G. V. (2011). World icons of Russian romantic poetry. Omsk, Russia: Nauka.

Kozhinov, V. V. (1964). On the problem of literary genres (pp. 39-49). In G. L. Abramovich, N. K. Gay, V. V. Ermilov, M. S. Kurginyan, & Y. E. Elsberg (Eds.), Theory of literature. Main problems in historical coverage (Vols. 1-3) (Vol. 2). Moscow, USSR: Nauka.

Maimin, E. A. (1976). Russian philosophical poetry. Poets-lyubomudry, A. S. Pushkin, F. I. Tyutchev. Moscow, USSR: Nauka.

Mann, Y. V. (1969). Russian philosophical aesthetics (1820-1830). Moscow, Russia: Iskusstvo.

Mashinsky S. I., & Aksakov, S. T. (1961). Life and creativity. Moscow, USSR: Goslitizdat.

Mestergazi, E. G. (2007). Literature of non-fiction: An experimental encyclopedia. Russian version. Moscow, Russia: Sovpadenia.

Nikanorova, E. K. (2001). Historical anecdote in Russian literature of the XVIII century: Anecdotes about Peter the Great. In E. K. Romodanovskaya (Ed.). Novosibirsk, Russia: Siberian chronograph.

Odoevsky, V. F. (1981). Essays (vols. 1-2) (Vol. 1). In V. I Sakharov (Ed). Moscow, Russia: Khudozhestvennaya Literatura.

Pospelov, G. N. (1972). Problems of historical development of literature. Moscow, USSR: Prosveshchenie.

Prikazchikova, E. E. (2006). Russian memoiristics of the XVIII-first third of the XIX century: names and ways of development. Yekaterinburg, Russia: Ural University Publishing house.

Prishvina, V. D. (1981). Circle of life: Essays about M. M. Prishvin. Moscow, Russia: Khudozhestvennaya Literatura.

Pushkin, A. S. (1978). Complete works (Vols. 1-10) (4th ed.). In B. V. Tomashevsky (Ed.), Art prose (Vol. 6.). Leningrad, USSR: Nauka.

Radishchev A. N. (1988). Essays. In V. A. Zapadova (Ed.). Moscow, USSR: Khudozhestvennaya Literatura.

Rudnitskaya, E. L. (Ed.) (1990). Notes of the Empress Catherine II (Trans. from Fr.). Moscow, Russia: Nauka. (Original work published 1859).

Shtern, M. S. (1987). Philosophical and artistic originality of Russian prose of the XIX century. Omsk, USSR: Omsk State Pedagogical University.

Uvarov, M. S. (1998). Architectonics of the confessional word. Saint Petersburg, Russia: Aleteia.

Downloads

Published

2020-09-28

How to Cite

Eremejev, A. E., Akelkina, E. A., Kopteva, E. I., & Kosyakov, G. V. (2020). The Nature of the Word in Philosophical Prose of Russian Classics. Journal of History Culture and Art Research, 9(3), 83-93. https://doi.org/10.7596/taksad.v9i3.2841