“Who is He? Who is my Main Hero?” The Principles of Constructing the Main Hero n L. Ulitskaya’s Novels Cover Image

«Кто он, мой главный герой?» принципы конструирования главного героя в романах Л. Улицкой
“Who is He? Who is my Main Hero?” The Principles of Constructing the Main Hero n L. Ulitskaya’s Novels

Author(s): Tünde Szabó
Subject(s): Studies of Literature, 19th Century, Theory of Literature
Published by: Vilniaus Universiteto Leidykla
Keywords: main male heros of L. Ulitskaya’s novels; biographism and multi-biographism; classic character; M. Bakhtin; deheroisation;

Summary/Abstract: This study examines the principles that govern the construction of the main male hero in four of L. Ulitskaya’s novels: The Kukotsky Enigma, Sincerely Yours, Shurik, Daniel Stein, Interpreter, and Jacob’s Ladder. The analysis shows that the principles of the construction of the heroes can be traced back to a source that precedes 19th century psychological prose. First, the characteristics of the four heroes can be explained with biographism; second, this can be done with Bakhtin’s idea of the construction of the “classic character.” Moreover, one of the characteristics of Ulitskaya’s novels is “multibiographism,” which, together with the “everyday perspectives” that appear in the biographies, leads to deheroization and the relativization of the main hero’s status.

  • Issue Year: 59/2017
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 122-137
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Russian