“Faustian Theme” in Slavic Literary Monuments: Problematics of Motives

Abstract

The issue of conceptual correlation of Slavic stories about Savva Grudtsyn and Pan Tvardovsky with the concepts of “Faustian theme”, “Faustian legend” and “Faustian story” is considered. The question is raised about the legitimacy of referring the Slavic variants of the motive of the contract with the devil to the general group of similar motives by analogy with the “Faustian” one. A review of domestic and foreign scientific literature devoted to the difference and similarity of Slavic plots with the legend of Faust, as well as common sources and typological characteristics of the features of the “Faustian theme” is carried out. The results of a comparative analysis of texts about Faust, Savva Grudtsyn and Pan Tvardovsky are presented. Special attention is paid to the comparison of the anonymous work about Savva Grudtsyn with the novel by the Norwegian writer M. K. Hansen. The novelty of the research is seen in the fact that for solve this problem a systematic literary methodology is proposed in the key of historical poetics, based on the differentiation of the analysis of plots, motives, the system of characters and semantic accents of works. The relevance of the study is due to the introduction into scientific circulation of previously poorly studied texts of literature and folklore, in which the plot of a contract with a demon is seen. The definitions of specific motives are given, which make it possible to differentiate literary monuments according to the principle of a plot model and a system of characters. The author's development in relation to the sources of the specified plot type is presented.

Keywords

• faust
• pan tvardovsky
• savva grudtsyn
• comparative studies
• plot
• a source
• motive
• historical poetics