Phenomenon of Suicide in Russian Stories by V. Nabokov

Abstract

The results of the analysis of suicidal issues in the stories of V. Nabokov “Blow of a Wing”, “Fairy Tale”, “Accident”, “Lycus”, “Notification”, “Letter to Russia”, “Vasily Shishkov” are presented in the article. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that it makes it possible to clarify the writer’s ideas about being and the otherworldly, as well as to contribute to the development of such an interdisciplinary branch of scientific knowledge as thanatology. It is argued that the suicidal situations in the stories are similar: the characters take this step in a state of acute crisis as a result of long-term indulgence of weaknesses and passions (including addictions). The problem of the environment is also noted — despite the fact that the heroes are surrounded by people, they are in an atmosphere of misunderstanding and loneliness. Attention is also paid to the relationship of a number of characters with God and infernal forces (in particular, an intertextual parallel with the novel “Demons” is drawn). It is proved that suicide in the overwhelming majority of texts is a consequence of the metaphysical disintegration of heroes prone to irresponsibility, consumerism, escapism, and in some cases to the fight against God. It is concluded that the phenomenon of suicide in Russian-language Nabokov’s stories is devoid of a romantic and / or heroic halo — the writer comprehends it within the framework of European-Christian culture.

Keywords

• addiction
• allusion
• mystical discourse
• suicide
• thanatology
• chronotope
• escapism
• v. v. nabokov