The Epistolary Counterpoint in V.V. Rozanov’s Polemic Works (On the Materials of the Manuscripts Department of the Russian State Library)

Abstract

The article presents the categories of the declared topic (counterpoint, dialogism). It considers a viewpoint on the method of philosophical monologue in V.V. Rozanov’s works. In contrast to previous studies, the article shifted the focus of consideration of the creative method of V.V. Rozanov towards publication of his correspondents’ letters. The author joins the scientists who consider polyphonism to be the main method of poetics of V.V. Rozanov’s works. The article deals with the principal ideas of the dialogic method used by the thinker to work with the texts of the letters. The article notes the novelty in Russian literature of the epistolary-dialogical genre used by the writer during the publication of letters of such prominent figures of Russian culture as V.S. Solovyov, S.A. Rachinsky, N.N. Strakhov, which are now stored in the Manuscripts Department of the Russian State Library. V.V. Rozanov’s use of notes and comments to letters of his correspondents can be considered priority, marking the beginning of his unique polemic style, which eventually grew into the unsurpassed author’s genre of “fallen leaves”. It is noted that it was V.V. Rozanov who managed to turn the genre of notes from an auxiliary component of book’s content into the main one. In addition to well-known epistolary publications in the series “Literary Exiles”, the article draws attention to the fact that V.V. Rozanov uses letters of the clergy in the course of the religious and philosophical discussions of the early 20th century on modernization of the Church. The article confirmed the point of view that V.V. Rozanov used the dialogical method while creating the texts of his publications, by the example of his work with letters in the unique genre of “Literary Exiles” and in early polemical works. There is shown that the process of literary creation in V.V. Rozanov’s works invariably reflects the discursive nature of his way of thinking and exhibits before the reader the creator of new forms of self-expression in literary creativity.