Novel “Doctor Zhivago” by B.L. Pasternak: the specifics of the issue of the cultural hero

Abstract

The article raises the question of the cultural landmarks of the heroes of the novel B.L. Pasternak “Doctor Zhivago”. As is known, the plot of the work takes place at the turn of the eras, and for some heroes this becomes an incentive to think about their cultural self-determination. Their actions and behavior model are directly related to the attitude to cultural reality described in the work, and sometimes even aimed at its transformation by practical, revolutionary methods. A certain catalytic role in relation to culture is one of the criteria of a cultural hero. From this point of view, a comparative analysis of the positions of B.L. Pasternak and A.A. Blok in relation to the revolutionary events of 1917, their reflection in “Doctor Zhivago” and in the poem “Twelve” is carried out. The image of Yuri Zhivago is investigated from the point of view of the type of cultural hero - the Ascetic. The characteristic is given to the image of Antipov (Strelnikov) as a representative of the type of cultural hero - Conquistador. It has been established that Zhivago’s ascetic cultural position is based on loyalty to timeless ideals, an idea of the aesthetic potential of the Personality in relation to reality, while Antipov's (Strelnikov) actions are aimed at suppressing the individual human principle and, therefore, are devoid of a genuine creative component that nourishes the culture of mankind.