“THE FRESH WIND, AND BLACK THOUGHTS” OF ST. PETERSBURG (BASED ON THE NOVEL BY N. F. PAVLOV, “THE DEMON”)
DOI: 10.23951/1609-624X-2020-3-7-13
Introduction. The author investigates the novel “The Demon” by Nikolai Filippovich Pavlov, whose name is little known to a wide range of modern readers. The purpose of the article is to analyze the main motives and images of the story about “the poor official”, which is based on one of the main subjects of Russian literature of the XIX century. Material and methods. The material of the study was the work included in the collection “New stories”, published in 1839. A comprehensive analysis of the text using cultural-historical and comparative-historical methods is undertaken. Results and discussion. The main techniques used by Pavlov to create motives and images are antithesis and contrast. In the system of characters of the story the central place is occupied by the image of St. Petersburg. “The giant of the North”, combining good and evil, appears as an independent character with a contradictory fantastic force that suppresses the will, changes the minds and destinies of people. Such a city is close to Dostoevsky’s Petersburg, who called it “the most fantastic” and “intentional”. The main character is an elderly, poor official, whose image is close to the characters of Dostoevsky (Makar Devushkin) and Gogol (Akaky Akakievich). Marrying a young beauty only increases dissatisfaction with life. The order of St. Anne, which the character dreams of, becomes a symbol of happiness and success. For the sake of this, he goes to a step contrary to morality and common sense-skillfully offers his wife as a lover to his boss. This idea comes to him as a “diabolical obsession” sent by St. Petersburg. A similar development of the storyline “official-wife” occurs in the story of A. P. Chekhov “Anna on the neck”. Similar are the reasons for the marriage of women, the ways chosen by their husbands to improve their situation, as well as the result of family and human relations of characters. Conclusion. In the disclosure of the theme of “the little man” Pavlov was the successor of the traditions of A. S. Pushkin and the predecessor of Gogol, Dostoevsky, Chekhov. The novel “The Demon” was a confirmation of the judgment that the works of writers “not the first magnitude” should not be forgotten.
Keywords: romantic story, image, “little man”, St. Petersburg, plot, motive
References:
1. Belinskiy V. G. O russkoy povesti i povestyakh g. Gogolya [About the Russian story and the stories of Gogol]. Polnoye sobraniye sochineniy: v 13 tomakh. T. I [Complete works: in 13 volumes. Vol. 1]. Moscow, USSR Academy of Sciences Publ., 1953. Pp. 259–07 (in Russian).
2. Belinskiy V. G. Pis’mo V. P. Botkinu. SPb 17 fevralya 1847 [Letter To V. P. Botkin. St. Petersburg February 17, 1847]. In: Belinskiy V. G. Polnoye sobraniye sochineniy: v 13 tomakh. T. XII [Complete works: in 13 volumes. Vol. XII]. Moscow, USSR Academy of Sciences Publ., 1953. Pp. 327–333 (in Russian).
3. Shevyrev S. P. Tri povesti N. Pavlova [Three stories by N. Pavlov]. Moskovskiy nablyudatel’, 1935, no. 3, part I. Pp. 120–130 (in Russian).
4. Krupchanov L. M. N. F. Pavlov i ego tvorchestvo [N. F. Pavlov and his creativity]. In: Pavlov N. F. Izbrannye sochineniya [Selected works]. Сompiled, introductory article and note by L. M. Krupchanova. Moscow, Pravda Publ., 1989. Pp. 3–16 (in Russian).
5. Zudina N. M. N. F. Pavlov v istoriko-literaturnom protsesse 30–60-kh godov XIX veka. Avtoref. dis. kand. filol. nauk [N. F. Pavlov in the historical and literary process of 30–60-ies of the XIX century. Abstract of thesis cand. philol. sci.]. Moscow, 1989. 17 p. (in Russian).
6. Krayevskiy A. Novye povesti N. F. Pavlova. Maskarad. Demon. Million [New stories by N. F. Pavlov. Masquerade. Demon. Million]. Otechestvennye zapiski, 1839, vol. 6, no. 11, pp. 105–118 (in Russian).
7. Tseytlin A. G. Stanovleniye realizma v russkoy literature (russkiy fiziologicheskiy ocherk) [The development of realism in Russian literature (Russian physiological sketch)]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1965. 317 p. (in Russian).
8. Tseytlin A. G. Povesti o bednom chinovnike Dostoyevskogo (k istorii odnogo syuzheta) [The story of a poor official by Dostoevsky (to the history of one story)]. Moscow, 1923. 63 p. (in Russian).
9. Trifonov N. A. N. F. Pavlov [N. F. Pavlov]. In: Pavlov N. F. Povesti i stikhi [Stories and poems]. Moscow, Khudozhestvennaya literatura Publ., 1957. Pp. 3–22 (in Russian).
10. Barsukov N. P. Zhizn’ i trudy M. P. Pogodina. Kn. 8 [The life and works of M. P. Pogodin. Book 8]. St. Petersburg, 1894. 629 p. (in Russian).
11. Pavlov N. F. Demon [Demon]. In: Pavlov N. F. Izbrannye sochineniya [Selected works]. Сompiled, introductory article and note by L. M. Krupchanova. Moscow, Pravda Publ., 1989. Pp. 183–238 (in Russian).
12. Gogol’ N. V. Shinel’ [Greatcoat]. In: Gogol N. V. Peterburgskiye povesti [Petersburg stories]. Preface by L. Kozlova; Drawings by L. Podlaska. Leningrad, Det. lit. Publ., 1976. Pp. 140–172 (in Russian).
13. Dostoyevskiy F. M. Bednye lyudi: roman; Dvoynik: Peterburgskaya poema [Poor people: a novel; The Double: a Petersburg poem]. Moscow, Sov. Rossiya Publ., 1985. 272 p. (in Russian).
14. Toporov V. N. Peterburgskiy tekst russkoy literatury: izbrannye trudy [The Petersburg text of Russian literature: selected works]. St. Petersburg, Iskusstvo-SPb Publ., 2003. 616 p. (in Russian).
15. Dostoevskiy F. M. Sobraniye sochineniy: v 10 t. T. 4 [Collected works in 10 volumes. Vol. 4]. Moscow, Gos. izd-vo khud. lit. Publ., 1956. 609 p. (in Russian).
16. Chekhov A. P. Anna na sheye [Anna on the neck]. In: Chekhov A. P. Sobraniye sochineniy: v 9 tomakh. T. 8 [Collected works: in 9 volumes. Vol. 8]. Moscow, Gos. izd-vo khud. lit. Publ., 1956. Pp. 12–25 (in Russian).
17. Fokht U. R. Puti russkogo realizma [The ways of Russian realism]. Moscow, Sovetskiy pisatel’ Publ., 1963. 264 p. (in Russian).
( 406.07 kB ) 
( 399.92 kB )
Issue: 3, 2020
Series of issue: Issue 3
Rubric: TOPICAL ISSUES OF LITERARY CRITICISM
Pages: 7 — 13
Downloads: 714