The Costume of Stepan Trofimovich

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Author: Jasmina Vojvodić
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PhD in Philology, Professor, Department of East Slavic Languages and Literatures, Section of Russian Literature, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, I. Lučića St., 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8740-3934

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For citation:

Vojvodić, Jasmina. “The Costume of Stepan Trofimovich.” Dostoevsky and World Culture. Philological journal, no. 2 (26), 2024, pp. 83–100. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2024-2-83-100
Received: 22 Jan. 2024
Published: 25 June 2024
Issue: 2024 no. 2 (26)
Department: POETICS. CONTEXT
Pages: 83-100
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2024-2-83-100
EDN:

https://elibrary.ru/MNMAWW
UDK: 821.161.1.0
BBK: 83.3(2=411.2)
Keywords: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Demons, Stepan Trofimovich, costume, role.
Abstract: The article examines the costume of Stepan Trofimovich Verkhovensky, the main character of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel Demons. Unlike clothes, the costume is associated with theatricality, acting, and performing or with playing a role. During the novel Stepan Trofimovich “plays different roles” and Varvara Petrovna determines his costume. Other heroes from the novel are also costumed (especially the young generation or young “demons”), who play their roles on the stage of Skvoreshniki. Stepan Trofimovich sometimes accepts, sometimes renounces his role; he protests and withstands the costume intended for him. Analysing his behaviour and costume, the article concludes that Stepan Trofimovich, in the end of his life journey, frees himself from the role that was intended for him. In the very end he “stepped off the stage” of Skvoreshniki and found himself “naked” on the eternal path when he took off his “civil” and fake costume.

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