The image of a medical nurse in Ivan Shmelyov’s story “Blood Sin”

Abstract

The paper analyzes the specificity of the image of a medical nurse in Ivan Shmelyov’s story “Blood Sin”. The research aims to identify the peculiarities of the functioning of this image within the artistic system of the story. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that by examining the characteristics of the medical nurse’s image, contextual interconnections with “The Lord’s Summer”, “Fear” and through a detailed study of its symbolic significance, the paper presents the first-ever interpretation of the philosophical uniqueness of “Blood Sin”. As a result, several findings were made: firstly, the narrative and narrating role of the main heroine, who serves not only as a part of the plot development but also as the narrator, is identified. Secondly, the significant semantic and narrative role played by the images directly associated with the medical nurse’s image (trains as symbols of the departing Russia, the sound of bells as a detail recurring in many of the writer’s works, and revolutionary hard laborers representing the future of a “new” country) is determined. Thirdly, the paper reflects the contrast between the romanticization of the revolution and its actual results, which are not embraced by the story’s main heroine. Based on this, the dynamics of development of the image are revealed. Lastly, the autobiographical nature of the medical nurse’s image is demonstrated, in which Ivan Shmelyov sees himself.