Symbolic images in V.G. Korolenko's short story “In bad society” and their interpretation in the film of K.G. Muratova

Abstract

The actuality of the research is connected with the problem of “translation” of a classical literature piece by a director-interpreter. The subject of the study is the story by V. G. Korolenko “In a Bad Society” (1885) and its film adaptation by K. G. Muratova – “Among the Gray Stones” (1983). It is demonstrated that on the basis of the story and symbolic images of V.G. Korolenko – the garden, the apple, the flowers, the portarait, the birds and others, K.G. Muratova provides them with additional characteristics, concordant with the new cultural context. The portrait of the mother performs a plot-forming function in the film, and flowers are the main symbol associated with Marusya. K. G. Muratova uses symbols of animal masks - tiger, lion, wolf, with their help Vasya tries to build relationships with others. In the analysis a complex literature study approach is applied that combines historical and cultiral, biographical, comparative-typological methods that make it possible to determine the specific implementation of symbolic imagery in “texts” of various kinds. The substantive dominants of a classic work of Russian literature of the XIX th century are clarified and supplemented in the metalanguage of Russian cinema. The film uses Pushkin's tales ('The tale of the dead princess and seven knights, 'Winter evening'), fairy story of birds, symbolism of colors as specifying elements of cinematic speech. The language of a film is made more complicated with the introduction of musical accompaniment, sound symbols (sound of steps, dripping water and others). The analysis of the “new reading” of symbolic images of V.G. Korolenko's short story “In bad society” in the film “Among the grey rocks” by K.G. Muratova reveals the hidden meanings of a classical piece of Russian literature.