«ОБАПОЛИ ЦЬОГО ЧАСУ»: АНАХРОНІЇ У НАРАТИВНІЙ КОМПОЗИЦІЇ «СЛОВА О ПОЛКУ ІГОРЕВІМ»

Abstract

Centering on narrative composition of «The Tale of Igor’s Army», the paper offers an alternative interpretation of some persistent stereotypes. First and foremost, the statement about Volodymyr is re-considered, relying on the proof about the authorship given by L. Makhnovets. The narrator follows Boyan’s literary tradition, since the narrative features of «The Tale» demonstrate that the author is mastering Boyan’s narrative manner. The wellknown opposition at the beginning only declares the different order of narration. Starting the tale by «this time epics» (the story, not a glory), the narrator continues it as «thoughtfully» (discursively) as Boyan does. Igor’ story (the plot, including the epilogue) is about 13% of the whole text. The dominant discourse and multilayer anachronies, i.e. analepsises and prolepsises, which refer to «the both sides of this time», function as Aristotelian anagnorisis. Secondly, the paper clarifi es the temporal correlations. The fi nal Boyan’s address to Svyatoslav’s poet proves that Boyan was not a legendary person but a contemporary of Svyatoslav, Igor and the author of «The Tale». The generally accepted date of the masterpiece – 1187 (when Yaroslav, the Galician died) ignores the narrative aspects. The appeal to Osmomysl (as still alive) is not a part of narration, it belongs to a character’s discourse (Svyatoslav as well as his speech is within the time of story). Mentioning in the «prophecy» the prolepsis about Plisnesk is the reason to date «The Tale» by the year 1188, when Volodymyr, the Galician was a hostage of Bella III, but gathering near Plisnesk «crows» – Svyatoslav and Ruryk – were not able to agree about conquering Galych. The similarity of situations made Volodymyr empathize Igor, and that could be a motive for choosing the plot. Finally, the author of «The Tale» deconstructs Igor’s «kayala» discourse, because the «gateway» to Rus’ had been opened before due to the breach of the laws of Oleg (Igor’s grandfather) and his dynasty. It is the fi rst time in the studies of «The Tale» that the simulacrum «Karna and Zhlya» is elucidated as a historical allusion to Zhelyan’ river where in 1093 the Ruthenian underlings lost their lives en masse (after the same battle on Stugna river). And just like in Igor’s case, the Cumans were only a weapon for the palatine internecine wars. Svyatoslav is blamed for the death of Igor’s army. The analepsis in Yaroslavna’s lament mentions his campaign to the Cuman land. There is also a blaming analepsis in the emblematic dream: some people were given to drink the blood of the dead and were caressing Svyatoslav with pearls of Igor’s army souls. The author of «The Tale» hints at Ruryk and Davyd who were interested in the fall of Oleg’s dynastic «nest». As a result of decentralization, there were «a body without a head» and «a head without a body», «nailed to Kyiv hills», and Sviatoslav had no power to protect the whole of Rus’. The prospect of further studies lies in examining the issue of falsifying the narrative composition and eliminating the original text. Keywords: «The Tale of Igor’s Army », Volodymyr the Galician, author, composition, story, discourse, anachrony, analepsis, prolepsis.