«Вечные образы» у И. С. Тургенева: на материале повести «Степной король Лир»

Abstract

The main aim of the paper is to identify the peculiarities of I. S. Turgenev’s interpretation of the Shakespearean “eternal image” of King Lear using the material belonging to a different nation (the Russian material). The study is novel in that it is the first to examine the relationship between the noble and universal qualities of the hero through the myth of omnipotence, which is destined for deconstruction. In addition, attempts are made to link this relationship with the writer’s reflections on the formation of a new type of man in the post-reform transition period. The paper examines various approaches to the notion of eternal images, analyses the aspects that drew I. S. Turgenev’s attention to “eternal images”, reveals the correlation of culture-specific and universal, common human traits in the main character. As a result of the study, it has been found that drawing on the literary experience of W. Shakespeare, Turgenev created his own drama, the drama of “Russian King Lear”. The writer reveals both dark and light features in this national type, paying special attention to the personal psychology of his hero, the depiction of which is connected, on the one hand, with the reflection on the problems of Russian life and, on the other hand, with the situation in which Harlov finds himself, similar to that of King Lear.