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Title of the article: «Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all» (To the problem of perception of the Old Russian text in «The widow’s tale» by Yakov Polonsky)
Author(s):

RESHETOVA A. A.
Section: Philology and Literary Criticism
Year: 2015
Issue: № 1, (35)
Pages: 83-100
Index UDK: 882 (09)
Index BBK: 83.3 (2=411.2)4 + 83.3 (2=411.2) 52
Abstract: Conceptually this article is connected with the perception of Yakov Polonsky, which is being formed in the modern literary criticism. It views the author as the creative personality, who has combined both narration with lyrics and epic approach to the description of slice-of-life coloring of events with their ontological meaning and penetration into spiritual life of a person in his poetic and prosaic heritage. The emphasis is placed on the patency of the Orthodox basis of Polonsky’s creative work coupled with his inclination to the sphere of irrational and to his intuitive perception of the world. It corresponds to the intense ion of his generation and the spiritual and moral pursuit of the epoch. The prose written by Polonsky in the 60-s of the XIX century can serve as the main material for the of the author’s world perception and outlook. This rich and dramatic period of the author’s creative work and private life arouses mixed reviews of the literary critics and draws attention of the researchers rarely. The examination of «The Widow’s Tale» (1869) presents the author’s prose diversely. In particular, the article shows its psychologism combined with aspiration for of the personal internal path and life impressions as well as it presents the drama of a modern person by means of artistic devices. As a result, the problem of the author’s poetics and subjectivity becomes actual. It’s no coincidence that even the critics of the XIX century were speaking of Polonsky as of the person-centered author who is inclined to subjectivity. All this directs the research to the study of the author’s creative manner and the character of his artistic world. It’s effective to reveal different types of reception in «Tale»: from communicative dialogue to inter-text (receptions, allusions, citations). It’s also important to establish typological and textual connections of «Tale» with the Old Russian literature, both didactic and hagiographic («The Tale of Peter and Fevronia»), as well as to determine the parallels with the Old Testament («The Song of Solomon»). A special point should be made of the type of a humble wife, created in «Tale». This very type the author’s ideas about the Orthodox family life, which has incorporated true Christian values, and it shows the ideal of the Christian family and love based on self-denial, and «conversational» («double-voiced») unity of the beloved. The idea of the everlasting power of love, based on faith and humility, piety and, the internal nobleness and the special «wisdom of soul» allow us to feel the author’s belief in a person who is able to improve and T by approaching the image and likeness of God. The Orthodox anthropology, underlying Polonsky’s world perception, allows us to speak of perspective in the study of his creative works within the anthropocentric and Christocentric paradigms of the modern philology. It has helped to deepen the modern appreciation of the author’s creative works and his value in the national literary heritage.
Keywords: ORTHODOX ANTHROPOLOGY, PROSE BY YAKOV POLONSKY, "THE WIDOW'S TALE", PROBLEM OF RECEPTION, OLD RUSSIAN LITERATURE
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