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 A.M.GORKY INSTITUTE OF WORLD LITERATURE
OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

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ISSN 2619-0311 (Print)
ISSN 2712-8512 (Online)

The Function and the Ideological Meaning of the Image of Lebedev in “The Idiot”

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  • Author: Alexandr B. Krinicyn
  • Information about the author:

    DSc in Philology, Associate Professor of MGU, Associate Professor of the History of Russian Literature Department (Philology Department of MGU).

    E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • For citation:

    Krinicyn, A.B. "The Function and the Ideological Meaning of the Image of Lebedev in 'The Idiot'". Dostoevsky and World Culture. Philological journal, no. 3, 2018, pp. 104-118. In Russ.
  • Issue: 2018 no. 3
  • Department: POETICS. CONTEXT
  • Pages: 104-118
  • DOI: Visit Website
  • UDK: 821.161.1 + 82.31
  • BBK: 83.3(2РОС=РУС)1
  • Keywords: Dostoevsky’s novels, “the Pentateuch” anthropology, Levedev, Myshkin, “the proud type”, a character “in humiliation”, the “Great sinner’s” type.
  • Abstract: The article proves that Lebedev is one of the most important characters not only in “the Idiot”, but within the context of all Dostoevsky’s anthropology after penal servitude. The character is shown as extremely controversial, paradoxical and deep. Particular attention is given to contrasting parallelism of Myshkin and Lebedev in symbolic and ideological structure of the novel. Comparing Lebedev with other typologically similar characters of “the Pentateuch” – various jesters and clowns, who voluntarily choose humiliation – the author identifies one of the main Dostoevsky’s types – a character “in humiliation” as opposed to the “proud type”. Both types are genetically connected with the “Great sinner’s” plot and thus turn out to be perfectly compatible and mutually reversible.

References

1. Dostoevskij F.M. Polnoe akademicheskoe sobr.soch. v 30-ti tt. [Complete Works in 30 vls. (In Russ.)]. Leningrad, «Nauka», 1972–1990.

2. Ermilova G. Vosstanovlenie padshego slova, ili o filologichnosti romana «Idiot» // Dostoevskij i mirovaya kul'tura [Recovery of the Fallen Word, or About the Philologency of “The Idiot”. Dostoyevsky and the World Culture (In Russ.)]. 1998. № 12. Pp. 54-80. 3. Kasatkina T.A. Lebedev – hozyain knyazya // Dostoevskij i mirovaya kul'tura [Lebedev as the Master of the Prince. Dostoyevsky and the World Culture (In Russ.)]. 1999. № 13. Pp. 57-61.

4. Kirpotin V.Ya. Mir Dostoevskogo [The World of Dostoyevsky (In Russ.)]. Moscow, Sovetskij pisatel', 1980. 374 р.

5. Piskunova S.I. Ot Pushkina do «Pushkinskogo doma»: ocherki istoricheskoj poehtiki russkogo romana [From Pushkin to “Pushkin House”: Essays of the Historical Poetics of the Russian Novel (In Russ.)]. Moscow, Yazyki slavyanskoj kul'tury, 2013. 272 р.

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