The Russian people in the image of I. Composition: Philosophical problems of "Poems in Prose" I

Stavropol State Pedagogical University

FEATURES OF THE NATIONAL ARCHETYPE

IN THE MYTHOLOGEM OF CHRIST

WORKS OF I. S. TURGENEV

Repeatedly speaking about his indifference to questions of religion and everything “supernatural” 1 (P. XI , 31) Turgenev the artist nevertheless, he often turned to the ideas and images of biblical texts. Analysis of the functional role of reminiscences from the New Testament in the works of the Orthodox (and in general‒ religiously) non-oriented writer is of great scientific interest. Thus, the artistic interpretation of the image of Jesus Christ voluntarily or involuntarily turns out to be in a dialogical relationship with the interpretations of this mythologeme in Christian theology and European art. In the "Notes of a Hunter" ("Living Relics") and in "Poems in Prose" ("Alms", "Christ"), the visual and role-playing aspects of the image of the God-man appear in a complex interweaving of traditional mythological and cultural trends. Gospel reminiscences in the context of Turgenev's works contribute to such an image of Christ, which takes into account the specifics of the national artistic and philosophical consciousness and the experience of domestic and world culture.

The writer's mythological ideas about Christ, given through the perception of characters, are included in the system of ideological and aesthetic disclosure of problems that are by no means directly related to issues of religious worldview. But even in such representations, a certain tradition is revealed, dating back to the Gospels of Matthew and John. This tradition is due to the pictorial nature of the image of Jesus, whose human nature is not perceived as a “mask” (this was characteristic of docetism, other areas

________ _

1 From here onwards I quote I. S. Turgenev from the edition: Turgenev I. S. Full coll. op. and letters: V 28 t. M.; L., 1960-1968, indicating in brackets the series - S. (Coll.), P. (Letters), volume - Roman and pages - Arabic numerals.

unorthodox Christianity, as well as, to a certain extent, works of Russian folklore 2), but as an expression of the unity of man and the divine absolute. At the same time, the "human" artistic image Jesus appears as a "variable value", and "divine" - as a "constant".

The archetypal basis of the image of Christ in the works of Turgenev‒ its fundamental imagery. It is no coincidence that the dominant feature of his disclosure is the portrait. In this, the writer is close to the Christian tradition, and the poetics of Turgenev's painting becomes a form of expression of his deep polemical nature in the interpretation of Christ in relation to non-canonical ideas, based on the emphasis on the mystical, rather than external appearance of Jesus. Separate elements of such interpretations can also be found in the “Second Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul”: “... from now on we do not know anyone according to the flesh; but if we knew Christ according to the flesh, we know it no more” ( V , 16) 3 . Turgenev's portrait characteristics do not agree with ideas about the unreality of the existence of Christ "in the flesh", about his constant transformation appearance characteristic of the currents of non-canonical Christianity, the apocryphal Gospels 4, etc. However, the idea of ​​the transformation of Jesus in the works of Turgenev, deprived of its cult content, retains its “form”. Each of the characters realizes such an idea of ​​the appearance and essence of Christ, which "lives" in their subconscious. It is noteworthy that in the story "Living Relics" Jesus is the hero of Lukerya's dream, the picture recreated in the poem "Christ" is a "vision", and "Alms" by genre features is a parable. Symbolism becomes an important aesthetic quality of the style of all three works, being at the same time a form of generalization of different ideas. The all-encompassing essence of Christ in each of them is revealed in a certain hypostasis, relevant for the value ideas of the characters. They see the Son of Man differently (Matt. IX , 6): in "Alms"‒ it's "stranger"

_________

2 See: Folk prose. M., 1992. pp. 527, 528, 530, 533, 534 (B-ka of Russian folklore. T. 12).

3 Attention to the inner, not external entity Christ marked the beginning of the image of the unattractive appearance of Jesus ("small and ugly"). Cm.: Sventsitskaya I. S.. Early Christianity: Pages of History. M., 1987. S. 87.

4 The idea of ​​the pictorial inexpressibility of Christ is persistently affirmed, for example, in the Gospel of Thomas: “... my lips will not accept to say who you look like” ( Trofimova M. K. Historical and philosophical questions of Gnosticism. M., 1979. S. 161).

(judging by the description, middle-aged), in the poem "Christ"‒ a person “like everyone else”, but in the story “Living Powers”‒ angelic youth.The portraits of Christ in all works have a common typological basis: in the image of Jesus, the expression of the absolute norm of harmonious being remains constant. In this sense, Christ does not "multiply", does not become "appearing" depending on individual subjective perceptions. This is quite natural: in the works of the writer, the object of the image is the moral essence of the incarnated God (his “humanity”), and the portrait is subject to the goals of such an image. The fundamental figurativeness of Christ, embodying the unity of “heavenly” and “earthly”, is as organic and natural for Turgenev as, say, for Merezhkovsky, who argued in the book “Jesus the Unknown” with the above words of the Holy Apostle Paul 5. This corresponds to Russian national, Orthodox traditions.

It is worth emphasizing here that the attitudes towards the “portrait” of Jesus Christ, characteristic of Western European fine art, only with rare exceptions find corresponding parallels and analogies in the works of the Russian writer. Turgenev has nothing in common with the depiction of the suffering of Christ in medieval European painting, with the art of the Reformation era, in which the crucifixion motif dominated, with the biblical scenes of the artists of the late Renaissance, Titian, El Greco, Rembrandt, etc. The closest thing to his aesthetic interpretation of the image of Jesus turns out to be only the painting of the early Italian Renaissance (Masaccio and others): the Quattrocento artists' ideal of man echoes the moral ideas of the Russian humanism 6 , with philosophical positions and artistic and philosophical generalizations of Turgenev. His concept of Christ differs markedly from the interpretations of this image in the works of European and Russian writers.‒ both predecessors and contemporaries. At the same time in domestic literature, of course, one can also find features in common with Turgenev's works, due to the influence of national cultural and philosophical traditions on the work of Russian writers.

_________

5 Merezhkovsky D.S.. Jesus Unknown // October. 1992. No. 11. S. 144.

6 Berdyaev N. A. Russian idea // Russian literature. 1990. No. 3. P. 67. See also: Znamerovskaya T. P. Problems of the Quattrocento and the work of Masaccio. L., 1975. S. 94-147.

The genetic roots of the image of Christ in the works of Turgenev should be sought in Byzantine and, mainly, in Russian iconography. Tendencies towards the pictorial expression of the symbolic essence of Christ, characteristic of Orthodox Church, determined, as you know, the special role of the pictorial icon (iconostasis) in the architectural whole of the Russian church. Beginning with XIV centuries, Russian icon painters used the entire arsenal artistic means for the embodiment of the harmonious unity of "heavenly" and "earthly" in the image of the God-man. It is noteworthy that in XVII century one of the last great artists Ancient Rus' ‒ G. Nikitin ‒ in contrast to the trend towards the dematerialization of this image that emerged in the art of the previous century, the “Almighty” icon represents the figure of Christ “full of physical strength, material strength and, as it were, spiritual strength dominating over her” 7 . "Icon‒ not a portrait, but a prototype of the coming temple humanity. And, since we do not yet see this humanity, but only guess, the icon can only serve as a symbolic image of it.‒ wrote to E. N. Trubetskoy in the essay “Speculation in Colors” (1916) 8 . The symbolism of Turgenev's images of Christ corresponds to this tradition. Keynotes of all portrait characteristics Jesus in the writer's works‒ a sense of harmonious peace, expediency and measure, the idea of ​​a bright high beginning, the severity of inner purity, dignity and wisdom, justice and love. This is not a mystified, but a "human" image of Christ. In Lukerya’s dream, he even “holds out a pen to her” (S. IV , 362). In the portraits of Jesus, the “balance” of the spiritual and the physical is emphasized, while spirituality aesthetically more functional. In "Alms" there are no details purely external descriptions. In the poem "Christ" there is only one pictorial detail, but it is extremely "neutral": "And the clothes on him, like on everyone else" (S. XIII , 186). In Prose Poems, from an external point of view, Christ is no different from other people. In the story "Living Powers" he more than in other works, he resembles the "King of Heaven". But in any case, we see not the canonized, but the "human" appearance of Jesus Christ. It is no coincidence that Lukerya notes that the way Christ appeared to her in a dream, “they don’t write him” (S. IV , 362). She describes Jesus from a human point of view.

_________

7 Bryusova V. G. Gury Nikitin. M., 1982. S. 125.

8 Trubetskoy E.N. Three Essays on the Russian Icon: Speculation in Colors. Two worlds in ancient Russian icon painting. Russia in her icon. M., 1991. S. 14.

vision, focusing on the fact that he is "beardless, tall, young." The ideological and emotional leitmotifs of the portrait descriptions of Christ, their "sacred realism" 9 , their symbolism go back to the traditions of the Russian religious art. The weakening of attention to the purely external accessories of the portrait of Jesus in the works of Turgenev, the emphasis on the image of the “face” indicate that in the poetics of descriptions of appearance and inner essence Christ, the archetypal features of Byzantine and Russian icon painting are preserved.

In accordance with Orthodox Christian traditions, the face, "the head as the center of spiritual expressiveness, becomes the dominant figure... The body completely recedes into the background" 10 . This aspect of the depiction of Christ, characteristic of Byzantine and Old Russian painting, in Turgenev's works acts as a structural archetype. In the story "Living Powers" in portrait descriptions Jesus, only the image of the face is detailed: "beardless ... young." In "Alms" only his face and eyes are shown: "The face is calm...; eyes ... light; piercing gaze ... "(S. XIII , 172). In the poem “Christ”, the face is “snatched out” from the whole figure of Jesus, as if by a ray of light: “The face, like everyone else ... The eyes look a little upward ... The lips are closed ... The small beard is forked ...” (S. XIII , 186). All other details of the external description (“Hands are folded and do not move. And the clothes on him, like on everyone else”) are on the periphery and in the future they cease to play an ideological and aesthetic role. The “extraordinary severity of traditional conventional forms that limit the freedom of the icon painter”, noted by researchers of the Russian icon, led to a special compositional role images of the face of Christ and the saints: “the icon painter still had the look of a saint, that is, the very thing that constitutes the highest center of the spiritual life of a human face” 11 . In the poetics of the portrait of Turgenev's works, this principle of representation becomes dominant.

Artistic paintings, the hero of which is Christ, are distinguished by static images, they reveal the features of the spatial and compositional principle of Russian iconography: everything is recreated in direct projection, Christ, the people around him, objects, etc. are given such, “what

_________

9 Ibid. S. 59.

10 Lazarev V. N. Byzantine painting. M., 1971. S. 34.

11 Trubetskoy E.N. Three Essays on the Russian Icon... P. 15.

they appear ... from the point of view of their essence” 12 . Thus, we are talking about both spatial and essential quantities. It is noteworthy that the characters "recognize" Jesus without even seeing him or despite the fact that he looks like any person. “And why I found out that this is Christ, I can’t say ... but only he!” Lukerya admits. “I didn’t turn around to him (to some person). – V. G.) ‒ but I immediately felt that this man is Christ,” says the lyrical hero in the poem “Christ”. Russian icon painters developed special methods of conveying the "very light" of Christ, "perceived not by sight ... but by the inner hearing" of those who are close to Jesus 13 . The pictorial possibilities of transmitting the “sounding”, according to E. N. Trubetskoy, light of Jesus Christ are supplemented by Turgenev with artistic and psychological means of disclosure internal state heroes "feeling" the presence of the Son of Man, perceiving his "light-bearing Word" 14 . The depiction of the essential nature of Christ the man, which distinguishes him from people, necessitates conversion‒ when recreating his portrait‒ to the methods of organizing a literary text traditional for the system of mythopoetic thinking. Thus, the portrait of Jesus in "Alms" is compositionally organized on the basis of peculiar contrasts, oppositions: "the face is calm and important, but not strict ..., the gaze is piercing, but not evil," etc. The system of oppositions is characteristic of the structure of these works in general . The inner feeling by the subject of speech that Jesus, despite the “usual ... features” of his external appearance, is opposite to everyone else, determines the architectonics of the image of experiencing the poem “Christ”: “I ... felt that this person is Christ. . XIII , 185-186). The poem is built on the principle: thesis‒ antithesis ‒ synthesis. In Lukerya's story, the whole construction of the "whole" dream is based on the fact that the "anti-hero" and "hero" change places: "Look‒ along the very tops of the ears it rolls towards me quickly‒ only not Vasya, but Christ himself!” (WITH. IV , 362). This is not only a “memory” of mythological genres, but also a substantive principle: in each of the works, the world of people opposes the idea of ​​divine “evenness” (S. XIII , 172), harmony, light, norms. The static pictures of Turgenev's works reveal

________

12 Ugrinovich D. M. Art and Religion: A Theoretical Essay. M., 1982. S. 142.

13 Trubetskoy E.N. Three essays on the Russian icon... S. 58.

14 Ibid.

the same drama of "the meeting of two worlds", "the struggle of two worldviews", as in the Russian icon 15 . Such a struggle is a stimulus for the moral rebirth of the "old man", who distributed all his wealth to others, in Alms. The “drama” is weakened, perhaps only in the story “Living Powers”, since Lukerya has already become so imbued with the “mystical worldview”, having overcome the “flat” understanding of the “local” 16, that she herself began to resemble an “icon of an old letter” (S. IV , 354). The lyrical hero of the poem "Christ", comprehending the world-encompassing, universal essence of Christ, is imbued with a feeling of another "plane of existence" 17 . Thus, according to the general structural laws of Russian iconography, the static pictures in Turgenev's works were filled with internal movement, turned out to be full of pictorial dynamics.

Recreating two planes of existence, Russian icon painters developed a special "philosophy of color", that is, the traditional laws of color solutions when depicting the world "here" and "heavenly", according to which the gold of an assist is an indispensable attribute of the expression of the glorified divine light, divine life. In the works of Turgenev, we observe the features inherent in such an image. In "Poems in Prose" Christ appears as an ordinary person, and in the story "Living Powers" he appears before the heroine in the guise of the Son of God (Matt.XXVII, 43).In this regard, the color palette of these works is significantly different. Only Lukerya sees Christ in the colors of the Russian icon, symbolizing the glorification of the Son of Man: he is "all in white, only a golden belt." The “white robe” of Christ corresponds to the normative description of the icon “Transfiguration” 18, since this is the gospel image: “... Jesus took Peter, James and John, his brother, and brought them up to a high mountain alone, and was transfigured before them: and it shone His face was like the sun, and His garments became white as light” (Matt.XVII, 1-2).Such important detail, as a "golden belt", is also "deindividualized". P. A. Florensky, E. N. Trubetskoy and many others comprehensively consider the role of “golden grace” in Orthodox iconography: it, not associated with “flesh color”, served as a means of expressing “divine light” 19 . On the background

________

15cm . about this in the essay by E. N. Trubetskoy “Two Worlds in Old Russian Icon Painting” (Trubetskoy E.N. Three Essays on the Russian Icon... pp. 42-75).

16 T uh. S. 61.

17 T uh. S. 42.

18 Buslaev F.I.General concepts of Russian icon painting. M., 1866. S. 7.

19 Theological works. M., 1972. Sat. 9. S. 134.

"golden rye" Jesus appears in Lukerya's dream. Researchers of the Russian icon emphasize that “of all the colors, only gold, the sun, denotes the center of divine life, and all the others‒ her surroundings." The assist was used where “the icon painter needed (had) to oppose two worlds to each other, to push the transcendent from the local” 20 . The "local" world of the poems "Alms" and "Christ" excludes the possibility of using an assist in its literary version. The action in the poem "Christ" takes place in a village church, but Turgenev never mentions this "divine color". Although Christ is depicted in all three works, the absence of “golden grace” in prose poems corresponds to the iconographic “canon”: there was no assist “in all those images of the savior’s earthly life, where His human nature was emphasized, where the Divinity in Him (was) hidden” under the sign of a slave”” 21 . Another thing‒ dream of Lukerya. Christ, who promises the heroine the Kingdom of Heaven, is himself its incarnation and symbol. The assist, which did not look like solid gold, on artistic canvas of this work, as in the Russian icon, “points” to the Deity “in His Kingdom” (Matt.XVI, 28).The color schemes in the story “Living Relics” are motivated by the gospel text: in the Gospel of Matthew, the transfiguration of Christ is preceded by his words about “retribution to everyone according to his deeds” (and this is the main motive of Lukerya’s dream) and that “he who has lost his soul for the sake of” Him, can "not having tasted death ... see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom" (Matt. XVI , 27-28). The assist in the story “Living Relics” performs the same function as on the icons “Shestidnev” by Dionysius, “Transfiguration” by A. Rublev, “Almighty” by G. Nikitin, etc.

The specificity of the chronotope of Turgenev's works also reflects the spirit and essence of Russian iconography, especially of the medieval and pre-Renaissance era. The chronotope, being one of the most important genre-forming factors in general, in the works of the writer, precisely because of its “icon-painting” nature, contributes to the creation of such a genre structure that is “predisposed” to revealing the artistic laws of symbolic generalization. For medieval religious art, the symbolism of the idea is typical, and for the chronotope of the icon, timelessness and spacelessness are characteristic 22 . The conditional nature of artistic time in works

_________

20 Trubetskoy E.N. Three Essays on the Russian Icon... S. 50.

21 Ibid. S. 49.

22 Lazarev V. N. Byzantine painting. S. 104.

Turgenev (in "Alms" even "biographical time" is conditional, symbolic) is combined with seemingly real spatial compositions that preserve the principle of representation from the point of view of the one who sees the picture as a whole. In Russian icon XVI century, for example, one can detect the "earthly appearance of northern nature" 23 , but these realities in any of them "live" according to the genre laws of symbolic generalization. Generalization in Russian icon painting was created by such a perspective, when the figures in one space or another were seen "from a distant distance" 24 . The locality of the space of the Russian icon is due to the fact that the movement in it is always "restricted to the extreme" 25 . In those works of Turgenev, where Christ is depicted, there is no movement in space (even in Alms, based on the "chronotope of the road"). The topic of these "gospel stories" by Turgenev is peculiar: their space is conditionally localized in accordance with genre forms of this chronotope. Quite “earthly” (“Almsgiving”) and even “Russian” (“Living Powers”, “Christ”) on the canvas of the artistic space of these works does not destroy the symbolism of the image. Their extra-ordinary events emphasize the universal nature of the images. The spatio-temporal organization of Turgenev's plots retains the features of an "idyllic chronotope", since the reconstruction of the "deep humanity" of the characters ("Alms", "Christ") or the "integrity of life" 26 ("Living Powers") is brought to the fore here.

Successive connections in the interpretation of the image of Christ in Turgenev's works with Russian iconography not only cover the area of ​​certain traditional structural forms, but are due to a deep impact on writers XIX centuries of her artistic philosophy itself. The "memory" of the genre conveyed to them main idea Russian religious art - the idea of ​​humanity, love, uniting all people. ABOUT harmonic combination in the ancient Russian icon of “renunciation of the local and prayer for the local” 27 (this combination is so clearly manifested in the works of Turgenev!) it is not by chance that many researchers of Russian iconography write. The idea of ​​humanity is the archetypal idea that determines both the “human” depiction of Christ in Russian art and the nature of artistic expression.

________

23 Trubetskoy E.N.Three essays on the Russian icon... S. 84.

24 Lazarev V. N.Byzantine painting. S. 100.

25 Trubetskoy E.N.Three Essays on the Russian Icon... P. 15.

26 Bakhtin M. M.Questions of literature and aesthetics. M., 1975. S. 373-391.

27 Trubetskoy E.N.Three essays on the Russian icon... S. 44.

interpretations of many moral problems. The features of the national archetype during the embodiment of the essence of the God-man (humanity) were formed as a result of the formation general patterns development of Russian philosophical self-consciousness. For national culture, which, unlike the European one, did not go through the stage of scholasticism and did not know such a significant impact of the philosophy of Renaissance humanism, not only abstract-theoretical, scientific, but figurative ones turned out to be productive, aesthetic forms epistemology. Therefore, the leading problem for Russian culture was not the problem of the world and man, but person in the world. This can explain the heightened moral pathos of Russian classics.

The “human” in Christ in Turgenev’s works, connected with the idea of ​​humanity (humanitarianism), is not so much a tribute to the historical interpretation of the image of Jesus 28 (a tribute to historicism XIX century), as Acad. MP Alekseev 29 , how much connection with the old Russian culturological tradition. It is curious that, realizing the epistemological contradiction of Christian art, which demanded the depiction of the "divine" through the "human", Hegel noted:“We have already seen that art must put at the center of its images, first of all divine origin. But the divine, taken for itself as unity and universality, is essentially accessible only to thought and, being in itself something ugly, cannot become an object of artistic fantasy. The prose poem “Prayer” denies the Hegelian idea of ​​“an ugly God”, consonant with other philosophers: “Only such a prayer is real prayer.‒ face to face. Pray to the universal spirit, the supreme being, the Kantian, Hegelian, purified, ugly god‒ impossible, unthinkable" (p. XIII , 197). In his interpretation of the “figurative god”, Turgenev most of all European philosophers approaches Feuerbach (“The Essence of Christianity”). In the works of the writer, as we have already seen, a “personal, living, figurative god” appears (S. XIII , 197). In this they differ, for example, from Christmas story N. S. Leskova "Christ visiting a peasant", where the heroes guess about the coming of Jesus only by the "pink light"

_________

28 Turgenev was familiar with the books of D. Strauss and E. Renan, which had an identical title- Life of Jesus.

29 cm .: Turgenev I. S. Decree. from och. WITH. XIII, 663.

30 Hegel G. W. F. Aesthetics. M., 1968. T. 1. S. 184.

and “a hand as white as snow” holding a “clay bowl with fire” 31 .

"Humanization" of Christ‒ Russian tradition national art. Ignoring church canons, talented artists, as well as folk sculptors of ancient Russian wooden sculpture created an "earthly" image of the Son of Man. The cult design of Russian churches and monasteries was influenced by folk art (frescoes from Novgorod and Pskov monasteries, icons by A. Rublev, Dionysius, S. Ushakov, N. Istomin, F. Zubov, G. Nikitin, masters of the Kizhi region, etc.) . How " ordinary people”, often “dressed in rags”, Christ and the apostles were portrayed by unknown authors of works of folk prose 32 . A. Rublev special tricks softened religious images and brought them closer to the person. On his icons, the image of Christ is so humanized (the Zvenigorod rite) that it completely loses its abstract cult character 33 . G. Nikitin even seeks to overcome the symbolic basis of Christian iconography, abandoning the "universal" in the name of the "private" when depicting Jesus 34 . In the era of the great spiritual, national upsurge of Russia, marked by the activities of Sergius of Radonezh, Metropolitan Alexy, Stephen of Perm, a “complete revolution” takes place in Russian icon painting 35 . Prophets, apostles, Greek saints, and even more so Christ, take on a "Russian appearance" 36 . The image of Jesus in Turgenev is not Russified, there is no in his appearance and characteristic features of the Jewish race 37: he is, so to speak, universally human. But the "human" in him is what makes Turgenev's Christ related to the Christ of Russian iconography and mural painting. And this is no coincidence. The ideal of a man of Russian pre-Renaissance culture 38 was close and consonant with the writer.

_________

31 See: Literature at school. 1992. No. 5-6. S. 27.

32 Folk prose. M., 1992. S. 527, 528, 530, 533, 534, etc.

33 Lazarev V. N. Russian icon painting from sources to early XVI century. M., 1983. S. 99, 102.

34 Bryusova V. G. Gury Nikitin. S. 230.

35 Trubetskoy E.N. Three essays on the Russian icon... S. 81.

36 Ibid. pp. 80-95. The human nature of Christ is also emphasized in the mural compositions by G. Nikitin. Cm.: Bryusova V. G. Gury Nikitin. pp. 178-179.

37 There is a point of view according to which it is impossible to talk about the Jewish origin of Christ. It is supported by both theological and historical arguments.

38 See: Likhachev D.S. Pre-revival in Russian literature // History world literature: V 9 t. M., 1985. T. 3. S. 461-468.

Back in the article of 1843, "Journey to Russian Holy Places," Turgenev wrote about the reverence of every Russian person for the "great deeds" and "holy life" of Sergius of Radonezh (S. I , 192). These spiritual exploits of St. Sergius manifested themselves and expressed themselves in the affirmation of the idea of ​​the national and moral revival of Russia, the idea of ​​philanthropy. They communicated the living power of Russian icon painting, the art of A. Rublev. Turgenev, of course, is close to the image of Christ not Theophan the Greek, but Rublev, Dionisy, Nikitin, etc., since they embodied in their works the idea of ​​love for a person. The writer's Christ, like the Russian icon painters, is contemplative and enlightened, close to man, filled with trust in him 39 .

The reality of these genetic connections is also confirmed by Turgenev's very high assessment of "The Appearance of the Messiah" and "wonderful drawings ... from the life of Christ" famous artist A. A. Ivanova. “This is exactly the Christ as the Russian soul understands him,” he noted (S. XIV , 96, 349). It is known that A. A. Ivanov critically rethought the canonical interpretation of the theme of the Messiah. His drawings on biblical subjects arose not without the influence, however, of the book by D. Strauss "The Life of Jesus" and the writings of I. Herder "On the Spirit of European Poetry", in which, first of all, the human essence of Christ was comprehended. Innovative for the 1850s, the drawings of the Russian artist give a “reading” of the Holy Scripture from the point of view real events, from the standpoint of a person who feels the reality of the life process 40 . The "humanization" of Christ, most likely, was what, according to Turgenev, "is close to the Russian soul" (S. XIV , 96). It is no coincidence that a lot in common can be found in the interpretation of the theme of "Transfiguration" by A. Rublev and A. A. Ivanov: the two artists have the transfiguration of Christ‒ it is not so much a phenomenon of a miracle as a manifestation and affirmation of humanity. The general archetypal basis of the symbolically generalized image is also manifested in Turgenev's portraits of Jesus Christ.

In this regard, in the works of the writer, where Christ is depicted, all clearly expressed reminiscences from the Gospel are somehow connected with the idea of ​​man, with the problem of personality, with the affirmation of the ideals of humanity. Content genre-causing principles and determined, as already noted

__________

39 Demina N. A. Andrei Rublev and artists of his circle. M., 1972. S. 37-38.

40 Alpatov M. B. A. A. Ivanov. L., 1983. S. 57-58.

above, the active genre-forming role of icon-painting structural archetypes.

The angelic Jesus in Lukerya’s dream (“his wings unfolded all over the sky ...”) symbolizes the “kingdom of heaven”, and his coming‒ the idea of ​​retribution, which is one of the leading ones among the evangelists Matthew and Mark. Lukerya’s dream is sustained in the figurative and ideological and moral spirit of the Gospel of Matthew (it is in him that the “Kingdom of God” is replaced by the “Kingdom of Heaven”), the Apocalypse of Peter and the New Testament Epistles of the Apostle Peter. “... Follow me,” the heroine of the story “Living Powers” ​​conveys the words of Christ, “you will lead round dances in my kingdom of heaven and play songs of paradise” (S. IV , 362). In this story, gospel reminiscences are subordinated to the task of depicting “inner balance” (P. X , 77) Lukerya, who feels her fusion with the whole, with nature, who is aware not in reflection, but in feeling of the very substance of life. But the main thing is that the person here turns out to be one of the main objects of the writer's artistic attention. This significance of human existence is emphasized by the artistic rethinking of the gospel saying of Christ: “And Jesus said to them: Can the sons of the bridal chamber mourn while the bridegroom is with them?” (Matt.IX, 15).In Turgenev's story, Christ says to Lukerya: "... my bride, dressed up, follow me ..." The Kingdom of Heaven, which awaits the heroine, is, according to Merezhkovsky’s heartfelt words, “the beginning and the end”, that is, the main thing in the work of the Lord (see: Mark.I, 15; Matt. XXII, 2-3).“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who made a marriage feast for his son...”, Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew (by parable) ( XXII , 2-3). Not only the idea of ​​"repaying to each according to his deeds" (Matt.XVI , 27) is the main one in the plot of the “dream” of the story “Living Powers”.There is another one, no less important, the meaning of which helps to understand the interpretation of the image of the “wedding feast” in “Jesus the Unknown” by Merezhkovsky: “... The main thing in the work of the Lord is the kingdom of God, the wedding feast, where Mother Earth‒ bride, and the Son of Man‒ fiance" 41 . Thus, in Lukerya's dream the most important humanistic idea ‒ the idea that "the main thing in the work of the Lord"‒ man, his perfection, his high spirituality. The "Kingdom of Heaven" acts as an absolute criterion of his dignity and moral development. The “groom” Christ and the “bride” Lukerya in the dream picture symbolize the idea of ​​the perfection of the “earthly” (human)‒ because from the heroine "himself

__________

41 Merezhkovsky D.S. Jesus Unknown // October. 1993. No. 4. S. 137.

sin has departed!”, becoming worthy of “heavenly” (the Son of Man).

The poem "Almsgiving" personifies the mythologized trait of Jesus‒ the desire for "voluntary poverty" for the sake of affirming higher spirituality, a religious idea is expressed moral choice, and the work itself is a figurative paraphrase of the most important gospel commandment contained in the Sermon on the Mount of Christ: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt.V , 3) ​​42 .This idea is developed in the Gospel of Matthew: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." ( VI, 19-21. See also: VII, 7; XIX , 21-24). The hero of the poem “Almsgiving” literally follows the commandment of Christ: “... if you want to be perfect, go, sell your property and give it to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven” (Matt.XIX, 21).He “distributed wealth to others, friends and foes... And now he doesn’t have a piece of bread...” (S. XIII , 172). Contempt for accumulation is at the same time an expression of a refusal to love only oneself (Matt.VIII, 20; Onion. IX, 58; XIV, 26).The dramatic collision of the poem (an old sick man who has become “voluntarily poor” and does not have “where to lay his head”, suffers, although he does not repent that he “did good”) reflects a characteristic feature of Christian ethics: the unity of opposite principles‒ faith in the predestination of the path of man (and mankind) and conviction in the possibility of moral choice (everyone has the freedom to choose the path of salvation). The hero of "Alms" "follows" Christ (Matt.XIX , 21) not only in that it implements the great moral idea of ​​virtue, self-improvement, “saving” oneself in the name of the triumph of humanity, spiritual essence, but also in the fact that other people “provide ... the opportunity to show in practice how they good" (S. XIII, 172).The collision of the poem is connected with the archetypal idea of ​​the Russian icon: it also embodies and expresses the harmony of “renunciation of the local” and “prayer for

_________

42 S. S. Averintsev believes that such a translation of the beginning of the sermon is not entirely accurate. The meaning of Christ's words is more consistent with the other: "Blessed are the poor voluntarily ..." or "the poor at the behest of their spirit ...". “Such a translation,” the researcher writes, “is confirmed by both ancient interpretations and observations of the semantics of the texts of Qumran, while the traditional translation “poor in spirit” leads to misunderstandings” (Myths of the peoples of the world: In 2 vol. M., 1987. T. 1. S. 493). Cf .: The Gospel of Thomas: “Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven” (See: Trofimova M. K. Historical and philosophical questions of Gnosticism. S. 165).

here" 43 . The true human "treasure" of the hero is his virtue. The dialogue of Jesus Christ with the old man is imbued with the idea of ​​improving not only the hero himself, but also other people. In "Alms" the "gospel plot" becomes a meaningful form of affirmation of virtue, humanity as essential human qualities.

In the poem "Christ" the idea of ​​the all-humanity of Jesus, of "identifying one's "I" with the subject ... of one's work" 44- in this case - love for a person‒ corresponds to one of the most important New Testament dogmas: “... if there is any consolation of love ... then ... have the same love ... He (Jesus. - V. G.), being in the form of God, ... he destroyed himself from himself ... becoming in the likeness of men, and becoming in appearance like a man, he humbled himself ... "(Philip.II, 1-8).But such "humility" leading to "salvation" (Philip.II , 12), does not mean the loss of one's "I".The problem of the personal and the general arises here not by chance: the poem "Christ" is most directly related to the questions of Turgenev's artistic human studies. It is one of those poems in prose in which the writer, engaging in philosophical polemics, responds to the concept of "self-negation" of the German thinker A. Schopenhauer. All forms of overcoming the personal beginning‒ compassion, creativity, asceticism, love,‒ substantiated in the ethics of a philosopher who saw the goal of existence in overcoming the will to live (through forms of insight into the principle of individuation), become the subject of artistic and philosophical rethinking in "Poems in Prose" 45 . Love for one's neighbor, affirmed with such perseverance in the Gospel, in Schopenhauer contributes to this, for only in this case a person is identified with all others, "himself, his personality ... recognizes in every being" 46 . In Turgenev's poem, the image of Christ personifies the idea of ​​"identifying" his individuality with any other: after all, he is a symbol of a universal, at first glance, "impersonal" beginning: "... a face similar to everything human faces, ‒ it is the face of Christ" (p. XIII , 186). However, in this work, the system of opposition included reminiscent

__________

43 Trubetskoy E.N. Three essays on the Russian icon... S. 44.

44 Renan E. Life of Jesus. St. Petersburg, 1906. S. 112.

45 See about this: Golovko V. M.: 1) On one philosophical controversy in "Poems in Prose" // I. S. Turgenev in the modern world. M., 1987. S. 284-293; 2) Artistic and philosophical searches of the late Turgenev (image of a man). Sverdlovsk, 1989. S. 141-162.

46 Schopenhauer A. Full coll. op. M., 1900. T. l S. 387.

ideas coming from two sources‒ to the New Testament and Schopenhauer's philosophy. The "repetition" of the face of Christ, his identity "according to the flesh" to any person according to sacred meaning gospel texts does not lead to "denial" of one's "I", but to "salvation". This makes it possible to "target" Schopenhauer's reminiscences at a polemic with the "philosophy of love" of the German thinker himself, with his concept of overcoming the "will to live" 47 . That is why "I" lyrical hero who comprehends the essence of Christ, remains independent, is not "identified" with others, is not dissolved in the universal, is not obscured even by the image of the Son of Man. The “general”, symbolized by Jesus, acts as a moral, spiritual being of a person, as an incarnation in real life the very essence of Christian philanthropy, that is, as a manifestation of the universal human principle (that is why the face of Christ “looks like all human faces”).

The leitmotif of concentrated silence, peace, passing through the entire poem "Christ", as well as the "smooth" tone of the dialogue between Christ and the beggar in "Alms", fully correspond to the symbolic attributes of pre-rebirth hesychasm, which implies individual comprehension of the essence of the incarnated God through "purification of the heart" 48. Apparently, Turgenev was well aware of the various currents in orthodox and non-canonical Christianity (remember the "silent woman" Sophie from "A Strange Story", Evlampia from "The Steppe King Lear", etc.). Some features of the mentality of Russian hesychasm are manifested in the worldview and actions of the heroes of the story "Living Powers", the poems "Alms" and "Christ". (This is not, for example, in the above-mentioned work by N. S. Leskov or in the moralizing story of L. N. Tolstoy “Where there is love, there is God”). In the fact that the silent hesychasts “preached the possibility of individual communication with God in a contemplative life” (we observe this in the works of Turgenev), D. S. Likhachev sees a connection with Neoplatonism, with the “humanization” of Christ in Russian pre-Renaissance culture, which discovered peculiar forms "mystical individualism" 49 . All this was a fact of increasing the role of the "human factor" in the literature and art of the era of A. Rublev. Turgenev's ideal of man had roots in deep layers of Russian national culture. It is noteworthy that Christ

___________

47 Golovko V. M. Artistic and philosophical searches ... S. 151-152.

48 See: Prokhorov G. M. Hesychasm and social thought in Eastern Europe in the XIV century // TODRL. T. XX III. L., 1968. S. 86-108.

49 Likhachev D.S. Pre-revival in Russian literature. pp. 461-462.

the icons of Rublev, who, like Sergius of Radonezh, experienced the influence of hesychasm, is close to the “quiet” Christ of the writer’s works.

At the same time, it is important to emphasize that the idea of ​​man, affirmed in the works of Turgenev, caused, if I may say so, a controversy with the interpretation of Christ in Russian icon painting. The fact is that the writer does not follow perhaps the most important compositional principle of the ancient Russian icon. Its central idea, as E. N. Trubetskoy showed in his studies,‒ this is the idea of ​​a "cathedral" of all living things in the name of Christ 50 . That is why the image of Christ becomes the compositional center. In Turgenev, both Christ and man are at the center at the same time. We do not find an archetypal idea in the writer's works, and therefore no structural reminiscences embodying the idea of ​​"cathedralism". The nature of the image of the God-man and human world in all the works of Turgenev shows that in the system of their artistic axiology, so to speak, Christ and man, earthly life are equated. This is evidenced by the poetics of Turgenev's stories. Man and Christ are aesthetically equal in the writer 's works . For example, “thinned corporality”, the asceticism of the heroine of the story “Living Powers” ​​becomes an expression of the spiritual life of Lukerya‒ her "thinned feelings". The use of the concepts of icon painting 51 is quite appropriate here: the description of the portrait of the heroine is sustained in the pictorial vein of a Russian icon (“the head ... is one-color, bronze”, “the nose is narrow, like a knife blade”, “you can hardly see the lips - ... only the eyes” , “the face is even beautiful, but terrible, extraordinary”, etc.). The iconography of the face of Lukerya (S. IV , 354), as it were, brings together the idea of ​​man and the divine, sacred idea (it was not without reason that it was called in the village‒ "Living relics": this is an ambivalent image that combines mutually exclusive concepts). Affirming the value and beauty of life, with a golden assist, as on the wall painting by G. Nikitin 52 , Turgenev recreates the image of the “golden rye” (S. IV , 361). In his symbolic meaning This image is also revealed in the poem "Christ" (S. XIII , 185). "Assist" in the portrait of Christ and in the picture of the earth human life serves in the story "Living Powers" for the realization of a common glorifying goal. In Turgenev's works "heavenly" and "earthly"‒ these are single-order

___________

50 Trubetskoy E.N. Three essays on the Russian icon... S. 29.

51 T uh. pp. 14-15.

52 ANDI mean painting on biblical story southern wall of the Church of Elijah the Prophet in Yaroslavl‒ "The Acts of the Prophet Elisha" (See: Bryusova V. G. Gury Nikitin. S. 162).

values, because the art world of these works, a person is not “lost”, does not retreat to the “periphery”, is not obscured by the image of Christ.

In Turgenev, it is quite natural and natural, given the peculiarities of his worldview, that there is no aesthetic expression of the Eucharistic understanding of the world. But the writer retains another dominant idea moral sense picturesque images of Christ in Russian iconography‒ the idea of ​​love and humanity as a unifying idea, as the basis of the life of human society, "restoration of the integrity of the world that has broken into parts" 53 . The general philosophical search for "balance" of the personal principle with a harmonious whole in the works of Turgenev is realized in the process of aesthetic disclosure of the highest, spiritual and moral essence of man. Repetition on a new basis of Russians national traditions in the interpretation of the image of Christ (“Rublev’s humanity” 54) is an expression not only of the individual characteristics of the writer’s artistic worldview, but also characteristic of Russian culture and philosophy XIX century of "humanitarianism", the meaning of which is deeply revealed by N. A. Berdyaev in his essay "The Russian Idea". The author of this work especially noted the relevance for Russian classical literature of "the theme of man, the fate of man in society and in history." “Russians have always confused humanism with humanitarianism and associated it not so much with antiquity ... as with the religion of mankind XIX century ..., - wrote N. A. Berdyaev, - ... Russia was not characterized by humanism in the Western European Renaissance sense, ... it was very characteristic of humanity, that is, what is sometimes conditionally called humanitarianism 55 . Characteristic of "Russian thought", in the words of this philosopher, "the dialectic of man's self-affirmation" 56 finds its concrete expression in the "Gospel plots" of Turgenev's works.

_________

53 Trubetskoy E.N. Three Essays on the Russian Icon... S. 99.

54 This tradition continued in the art of the 17th century. (Cm.: Bryusova V. G. Gury Nikitin. pp. 229-230).

55 Berdyaev N. A. Russian idea. S. 67.

56 Ibid.

"Gerasim and the heroes of the story" - Tatyana. Creation of the story "Mumu". Turgenev's childhood. moral superiority. Kapiton. handicap. Lady. Gerasim. The opinion of a descendant. Russian prose writer. Creativity of the writer. Gavrila. The moral superiority of Gerasim over other heroes of the story.

"Asya" - Asya's image expands infinitely. A soul that is impossible not to love. wicked rock. Images of the heroines of Turgenev. A complete picture of Asya's character. Reading a poem by Goethe. Illegitimate Asya. Assessment of the image by critics. What is hidden under the term "Turgenev's girl". The hero needed courage. Asya reads a lot. Turgenev girl. Asya imagines lofty human aspirations.

“Fathers and Sons” - Nikolai Dobrolyubov, at the insistence of his friends, went abroad. Turgenev was shaking from such "revelations". Features of the novel form. Nikolay Dobrolyubov. Bazarov is a hero of his time. Herzen. Period before peasant reform. Silent stone. A vague image of a hero. A novel in Pisarev's assessment. Bell. Fathers and Sons. Bazarov is engaged in natural sciences. There are three categories of egoists. Nikolai Alexandrovich Dobrolyubov.

"Themes of Turgenev's Poems in Prose" - Themes of poems. Creativity of I.S. Turgenev. Laconism and freedom. A cycle united by a common tonality. Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev. Illustration for the poem "Threshold". To the lesson of literature. Poems in prose. Bougival. Poems. Pauline Viardot. Illustration for the poem "The Old Man". Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev "Poems in prose". Thoughts and feelings.

"I.S. Turgenev "Biryuk"" - Plot and plot. Interior. Composition. I. S. Turgenev "Biryuk". Hero portrait. Conflict. Literature lesson. Scenery. Complex analysis prose text. Quiz. Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev.

"Bezhin meadow" - Large living room. Wind trail. Grassy meadows. Surroundings of Spassky. Zusha river. performance under open sky. Manor house. Bezhin meadow. Piano in the dining room. The pride of the people. Lgov. Brilliant novelist. Road to Bezhin Meadow. River Snezhed. I.S. Turgenev. Transparent dusk of the night. Illustration for the story "Singers". The story "Khor and Kalinich". Leaves. The person is positive. raspberry water. Church. Overgrown paths.

The themes of the poems in Turgenev's prose are completely different. They reflect social problems, relate to moral categories and affect universal values. From time to time it is useful to reread these texts, to note something important and significant in them. That is why they are still relevant today. An analysis of the poems in Turgenev's prose allows a deeper understanding of the problems of his works, imbued with touching texts that teach goodness, justice and responsibility.

When you get to know them, there is a feeling of light sadness. One of the most interesting and memorable are Turgenev's short notes. The genre of the poem in prose appeared precisely from the moment of the creation of these amazing mini-stories. Ivan Sergeevich became its founder. Let's take a closer look at the individual texts.

"Two rich men"

Here the author compares examples of the generosity of the soul. One man, wealthy in every way, donates huge sums of money to help the sick and the destitute. Another - a poor peasant - denies himself the bare necessities. His main goal is to take care of the orphan niece. He does not spare money for someone else's child and does not even think about how much he has to sacrifice. Turgenev emphasizes the idea that the true good always comes from compassion, the ability to give up something important in the name of the well-being of another.

"Sparrow"

This work presents a reasoning about the noble impulse of the bird, to which the author became a witness. He admires the sincere dedication of an adult sparrow, which rushed to protect the chick. Here a comparison is made with human destinies and needs. "Sparrow" Turgenev is aimed at disclosure moral values: the ability to sacrifice oneself, to take responsibility for what is happening.

After all, every threatening situation has its own solution. You just need to carefully search for it inside yourself, to discover your inner resources. In many cases, Turgenev's "Sparrow" is remembered more than other texts. It is included in school curriculum, quoted, admired even by those who have nothing to do with literature.

"Shi"

Very touching story that makes an impression. The author shows the feelings of a simple peasant woman - a widow whose only son died. An elderly woman can hardly keep from grief, but she is faced with a misunderstanding of the lady: it seems to her that she is not worried enough. The “rude feelings” of a peasant woman actually hide the need to take care of daily bread. While the lady easily got any benefits. That is why she could afford to grieve for a long time, refusing not only food, but also any other pleasures. “Schi” is a demonstrative story that everyone has different values, and what is difficult for one is easy for another.

"Russian language"

A wonderful text that you want to periodically read and re-read. The author praises his native speech, considering it the standard of beauty and grace. The poem in Turgenev's prose "Russian language" makes you think about a lot: about choosing your own individual path, about where you can always find support and support. The author feels the consonance of his soul with his native speech, sincerely admires it. The poem in Turgenev's prose "Russian Language" is filled with unprecedented tenderness, imbued with secret feelings. This text awakens good memories in the heart.

"Enemy and Friend"

The theme of this work is rather ambiguous, which does not allow one to immediately understand what its enduring meaning is. And a friend can accidentally destroy, and the enemy at some point to tell the truth. The author emphasizes the diversity of the problem itself.

"Doves"

A stunning life-affirming work that helps to feel how great the diversity of life is. It is filled with an unimaginable love for everything that exists, which is what distinguishes it from other poems in Turgenev's prose. "Doves" is a real hymn to life. The work helps to understand how much we are sometimes mistaken about some manifestations of reality. According to the author, the most important thing in life is love and compassion.

Watching the behavior of birds, the writer admires their selfless manifestations, the desire to help and be needed by each other. He probably compares this picture with human relationships, which are not always so harmonious and beautiful.

"What will I think"

A work fanned by a gloomy mood before the inevitable proximity of death. The writer foresees that his end will soon come. life path and therefore suffers greatly.

He is afraid of the unknown, as well as the prospect that life is not lived the most in the best way. It seems that nothing good awaits ahead, and longing slowly fills the heart. "What will I think" represents one big question, which is impossible to answer without diving into the details, without considering the specific circumstances. An analysis of poems in Turgenev's prose emphasizes how a person himself, being in old age, can ask serious questions, thereby depriving himself of peace of mind and confidence.

Summing up, you can not only miss a lot, but also evaluate it biased.

"Hourglass"

A work that bears sorrow for a uselessly lived life. The author in every sentence claims that every moment is priceless, but we are wasting time on sheer nonsense! In fact, people live it as if they have no other options and alternatives. The transience of each individual path complicates the understanding of the meaning of one's destiny.

"Writer and Critic"

This is about what it means real talent in life and how it is measured. The writer sees the meaning of life in true self-giving and the greatest desire to convey to readers some kind of bright idea that has enduring value. The critic discovers something unworthy in such an existence, but he himself can only reason and evaluate. The author shows that real writer and the critic lives in each of us. One is obsessed with the dream of creativity, the other constantly scolds him, returning him to the harsh, unsightly reality. Their dispute can continue until one of them gives in to the other and gives up their own positions.

"Dog"

IN this work the author tries to understand enduring value life. The look of the animal seems to reflect its own fears, which have become unbearable and too intrusive. The poem in Turgenev's prose "Dog" shows the connection between the life of a pet and the thoughts and feelings of its owner.

If a person does not have a very positive mood, then the animal begins to behave In a similar way: worried, plaintively looks into the eyes. In all this, the relationship of close souls can be traced. The poem in Turgenev's prose "Dog" is aimed at revealing the feelings that a person hid from himself, fearing new disappointments.

"Tomorrow! Tomorrow!"

A piece that makes you think about the meaning of life. People tend to bring tomorrow closer, make plans, but miss the present moment. Even the one who took place in life, managed to fully express his talent, undoubtedly, before his death, regrets about unrealized opportunities.

Thus, the analysis of poems in Turgenev's prose shows that the author thought a lot about the essence and value of his being. own life seemed to him a losing game. The individual experiences of the writer are embodied in refined and concise stories that are easy to read. An analysis of the poems in Turgenev's prose shows how difficult the last years life of Ivan Sergeevich. He constantly turns to his memories and finds no consolation in them. In many individual works the idea of ​​meaninglessness is traced later life, the theme of disappointment sounds hysterically. The poems themselves in prose are quite capacious, filled with wisdom, although they are not distinguished by optimism.