Своеобразие сентиментализма в ранних романах Уильяма Годвина

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify peculiarities in the manifestation of the sentimentalist basis in William Godwin’s early novels. The article considers specific examples of peculiarities in the manifestation of the sentimentalist basis, using the material of the novels “Damon and Delia”, “Italian Letters” and “Imogen”. Scientific originality of the study lies in the fact that W. Godwin’s early writings, which have not been widely published in Russia, are introduced into scientific use for the first time; a comprehensive analysis of W. Godwin’s first literary works, which belong to English sentimental literature and have not been considered from this perspective until now, is carried out. As a result, the researcher has identified features that are associated with the writer’s biography, his understanding of sentimentalist ethics, socio-political ideas and reflect the distinctiveness of sentimentalism in W. Godwin’s early novels.