FUNCTIONING OF THE SPEECH CONSTITUENTS OF THE LEXICAL SEMANTIC FIELD “FACE” IN BRAM STOCKER’S NOVEL DRACULA

Abstract

In this article we consider the way the speech variant of the lexical semantic field FACE functions in the novel by Br. Stocker “Dracula”, the precedent text in vampire literature. We focus on the depiction of the vampire characters to identify the set of typical traits as they are represented in the novel, special attention is paid to the traits attributed to Count Dracula. We adopt the definition of the portrait offered by Elena Kalinjuk, where portrait description is understood as a variation of the compositional speech forms “description” which studies a literary character, his/her appearance, clothes, manners, speech and psychoemotional behavior. In our article we have analysed physiognomy and countenance proceeding from the fact that the constituent elements of the lexical semantic field FACE denote face with its parts and facial expressions. The latter describe emotional experience and act as means of nonverbal communication. The detailed portrait description prevails in our selection of 102 portrait descriptions. All the constituent elements of the LSF FACE are classified according to the parts of the face they denote. As a result, we’ve obtained seven groups, the most frequently used constituent elements indicate the following parts of the face: “mouth”, “face proper” and “eyes”. Some of the specific traits are foregrounded through the distant repetition of the lexical units. These traits have become the descriptive details in the novel, they are “red lips”, “peculiarly sharp white teeth”, “burning eyes”, “sharp aquiline nose”, “the scar on the forehead”. All the constituent elements of the LSF FACE represent the conceptual opposition FRIEND-ENEMY.

Keywords

• дистантний повтор
• образотворча деталь
• композиційно-мовленнєва форма
• лексико-семантичне поле
• опис
• прецедентний текст
• розгорнутий портретний опис