Solzhenitsyn's Heroes as Russian Historical Types

Abstract

The reader familiar with the traditional depiction of the Russian national type in literature cannot fail to be struck by the coincidence of the characteristics of Solzhenitsyn's heroes with those of the paradigm. These are specifically and typically Russian heroes; not merely by setting, but by comparison with assessment of the Russian character. Such a comparison calls on historical Human survival, from the moment of birth, depends largely on the ability to communicate and on a sympathetic human response to distress signals. Communication is a sine qua non not only of social life, but of life itself. Just as infantile mental impressions precede the ability to articulate thought, human knowledge in general has outstripped the ability to communicate knowledge, and the gap itself constitutes one of the parameters of intelligent experience. One of the techniques of breaking through the communications barrier has been the adoption of symbolic conventions. Among such conventions in literature is the use of character types. Typification is literary shorthand. Hamlet and Don Quixote, Faust and Onegin-all represent universal human qualities in exaggerated form. Because their traits are universal, we recognize and understand them; because they ,are exaggerated, they are more immediately apparent, and the author more easily communicates that particular vision of truth that constitutes his artistic mission. History, like literature, is focused on the human kind, but in its collective aspect and over a longer span of time. Solzhenitsyn called One Day of Ivan Denisovich a povest'-a tale. History itself, sub specie aeternitatis, might be called a povest': One Age of Ivan Den-