The The Issue of Genre Belonging of F.M. Dostoevsky's Work "The Village of Stepanchikovo"

Abstract

The article discusses the issue of genre belonging of Dostoevsky's work «The Village of Stepanchikovo », provides an overview and analysis of existing points of view on the problem of genre, and suggests that this literary text represents a genre experiment of the exiled author. Genetically, the work goes back to the comedy genre. Dostoevsky certainly takes into account the individual traditions of antique, Renaissance, classic comedy, uses a matrimonial plot that is frequent for the comedy repertoire. By the type of plot, «The Village of Stepanchikovo» is close to sitcoms, comedy of intrigue and comedy of characters. At the same time, the author borrowed an unexpected denouement from the genre of tragedy, and such a plot component as twists and turns, moreover, made it a permanent element of the plot. Dostoevsky gives preference to the novel as a genre more appropriate to the peculiarities of his talent and facilitating a complete, internally contradictory depiction of the «course» of life, synthesizing its various modifications: tale of chivalry, love novel, manor, moral, family, psychological, social, philosophical novel.