Epistolary Organization as a Semantic Code of M. Yu. Lermontov’s Poem “Valerik”

Abstract

The article examines Lermontov’s poem “Valerik” in terms of the spiritual content of the epistolary genre. The specific feature of “Valerik” is the pronominal organization of the text. Using pronominal constructions, Lermontov places semantic accents in the poem. The organizing pronouns “I — you — we” not only model the situation of writing but also act as markers of the mental state. The character’s introspection appears crucial for the poem: the lyrical subject experiences intense feelings and emotions, ponders them, and comprehends his essence through the events of the past and present. The form of the reversed monologue in “Valerik” implies a conversation with the addressee, which is facilitated by the verbal prosaization of the text. The documentary nature of the poem brings it closer to the tradition of the journalistic genre of writing and takes it beyond the limits of fine literature into the field of literature as a real-life experience. The textual, historical-cultural, structural-semantic, and axiological analysis of “Valerik” allows us to assert that in Lermontov’s artistic system, spiritual experience is directly related to the experience of human interaction. The epistolary form of the poem allows the poet to reveal the true purpose of poetry, which consists of spiritual communication.

Keywords

• m. y. lermontov
• “valerik
• ” dialogue
• genre of writing
• socratic irony
• reflection
• kinship of souls