Female Characters in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Novels in Interpretation of Vyacheslav Ivanov

Abstract

The article analyzes the works of Vyacheslav Ivanov on Fyodor Dostoevsky. Using the material from the book “Dostoevsky: Tragedy — Myth — Mysticism” (1932), the research principles and interpretive strategies implemented by Vyacheslav Ivanov in interpreting the female characters in Dostoevsky’s novels “Crime and Punishment,” “The Devils,” and “The Idiot” are identified. It is shown that Ivanov’s conception of the artistic features of characters such as Sonya Marmeladova, Alena Ivanovna, Maria Timofeevna, and Nastasya Filippovna are revealed in the context of the “main myth” of the works. The mythopoetic and functional aspects are highlighted as the most significant in Ivanov’s interpretations of the female characters. Additionally, it is argued that the psychological and spiritual characteristics of the heroines are not overlooked by the hermeneutist, as understanding the nuances of their inner world was necessary for him to reveal the mythopoetic functions. Through Ivanov’s interpretations of Dostoevsky’s female characters, it becomes evident that the poet-thinker’s approach to the writer’s works represents a synthesis of philosophical conceptualization and historical-literary perspective.