Institute of Philology of the Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences
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Critique and Semiotics
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Article

Name: «Funny» characters by Dostoyevsky in A. Platonov’s artistic reception

Authors: E. N. Proskurina

Institute of Philology of the Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences

Issue 2, 2017Pages 109-133
UDK: 821DOI:

Abstract: The research, based on A. Platonov’s novels «Happy Moscow», «Chevengur», «The Foundation Pit», and an early short story «The Thirst of the Poor», demonstrates the peculiarity of Platonov’s creative treatment of an «alien » text. Analyzing the character system of the above mentioned works in comparison with the novel «Demons» and the short story «The Dream of a Ridiculous Man» the article reveals the trace of Dostoyevsky’s poetics in the images of «funny» characters created by Platonov. Meanwhile, Platonov’s images are deeply original while the allusion of the pretext is present just on the level of motif and certain plot details. This absence of the direct resemblance to the pretext is the specific feature of intertextuality in Platonov’s works. As a rule, Platonov diligently conceals the traces of somebody else’s text in the «density» of his own writing. Because of this, attributing the presence of an «alien» word in the structure of Platonov’s works often becomes possible only with the help of micropoetical analysis through hardly perceptible features. Within this approach the tiniest, even peripheral details turn out to be the key to the intertextual dialogue and its hidden meanings. For example, «Liza’s plot» by Dostoyevsky becomes recognizable in «Happy Moscow» just through the most delicate «pieces of evidence» concealed in Platonov’s absolutely original narrative, whose outward appearance seems to be related to «Demon» by no means. Besides, the article supposes that the speech poetics of Captain Lebyadkin’s image influenced the incoherent speech of Platonov\s «funny» characters in «Chevengur » and «The Foundation Pit». In «Happy Moscow» the parody modality of not at all funny characters appears at the expense of indirect hints to their intertextual reference to this «funny» character. In the case of Platonov’s short story «The Thirst of the Poor» the research of the main character’s image, his ironical attitude to himself as to «the poor» as well as the analysis of the plot type gives the reason to see the influence of «The Dream of a Ridiculous Man» by Dostoyevsky. For Platonov this work became the starting point which opened the possibility for his artistic reflection on the topical problems of the revolutionary era. The article concludes that Platonov’s «funny» characters are right the ones who the writer is in sympathy with nevertheless speaking of them ironically. Although, there are no characters in Platonov\s works who would not arouse sympathy to some extent. This writer’s position does not only differ from Dostoyevsky’s position but is absolutely unique in both Russian and world literature.

Keywords: A. Platonov, Dostoevsky, the poetics of character, motif, plot, intertextuality

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