Formation of Realism as a Way of Artistic Comprehension of Reality in Lazhechnikov’s Prose of 1840-1860s

Abstract

The article is devoted to the formation of the artistic system of realism in I. I. Lazhechnikov’s prose of 1940-1960. The material of the study was the last novels of the writer. The novelty of the work is seen in the fact that I. I. Lazhechnikov’s prose of this period is practically not studied. It is proved that during this period the writer set himself a task of authentic depiction of life in typical characters, refusing to idealize the characters. The review analysis of the unfinished novel “Koldun na Sukharevskoy bashne” is carried out. It is suggested that this work was not completed because of the duality of the artistic tasks set by I. I. Lazhechnikov. It is noted that the writer preserving the historical flavour of the era moves away from the romantic depiction of reality. Also the novels “Belen’kie, chornen’kie i seren’kie,” “Nemnogo let nazad” are analyzed. Attention is focused on the fact that in the late period of Lazhechnikov’s work, the grotesque way of depicting reality expresses the writer’s vision of the world, Gogol’s and Shchedrin’s manner of writing is felt in the presentation of various characters. The author dwells on the analysis of the novel “Vnuchka pantsirnogo boyarina.” It is noted that the historical novel is revived in a new form, Lazhechnikov comprehends historical conflicts in human psychology, associating modernity with history. As the study showed, in the process of the writer’s transition to a new method, his artistic system of reproduction of typical phenomena of reality begins to change.