Linguostylistic features of Hieroschemamonk Macarius of Optina’s spiritual letters

Abstract

The aim of the research is to identify the main linguostylistic features of the spiritual epistolary works by Hieroschemamonk Macarius of Optina and their connection with extralinguistic factors. The study is novel in that it is the first to present the results of a comprehensive linguostylistic analysis of the spiritual epistolary heritage of Hieroschemamonk Macarius of Optina, outlining the main characteristics of his writing style and examining the spiritual and ideological foundations of formation of the textual field in his spiritual epistolary works. The research demonstrates that the analyzed material actively utilizes intertextemes referring to biblical and patristic texts, metaphors based on Christian cultural imagery, allegories typical of various church-religious genres, epithets that give the texts an archaic and elevated tone and stylistic figures with linguistic units denoting religious concepts, church-religious etiquette formulas.