VYACHESLAV IVANOV – “RUSSIAN FAUST”: GOETHE’S TRACE IN THE SYMBOLIST’S PROSE

Abstract

The article analyzes the reception of Goethe’s “Faust”, used by V.I. Ivanov in the unfinished drama “Russian Faust”. The text of the tragedy by J.W. Goethe and the materials authored by V.I. Ivanov, published by M. Wachtel under the title “Russian Faust”, served as the basis for a comparative study. The additional usage of the biographical method makes it possible to reflect V.I. Ivanov’s the closest attention to the work of J.W. Goethe not only during the period of his work on the drama, but also throughout his life. The results of the analysis clearly indicate a wide reception of images and artistic composition of the tragedy “Faust”. The references and reminiscences to the work of J.W. Goethe, presented in the poem of the symbolist at the levels of the title complex, the system of characters, motivics and poetics, are revealed. The obtained conclusions can be used in the study of the intertextual code in the poetry of symbolists in general and the work of V.I. Ivanov in particular.