A Poeteme as a Tool for the Analysis of a Lyrical Text in L.A. Novikov’s Concept of Language as Art

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the methodological, “instrumental” potential of some theoretical concepts developed and deepened in the concept of language as a verbal art by Lev Alekseevich Novikov - poetemе and ostrannenie (alienation). The lyric poetry of Pavel Vasiliev, the Russian Soviet poet (1910-1937), whose work is of a transcultural nature and belongs to the “literature of the borderland”, is analyzed. The poetemes “a steppe - a parent” and “a steppe - an ancient mysterious land” are modeled, allopoets are defined, in which the image of the steppe, key for the poet, is presented; the linguistic means of creating aesthetic imagery in allopoets are identified. The concept of a poeteme allows one to compare different images and interpretations in the poet’s work, draw connecting lines between them and ultimately determine the originality of the individual author’s poetic picture of the world. The method of the ostrannenie was introduced into scientific circulation by V.B. Shklovsky; in Novikov’s concept it appears as an invariant of linguistic imagery, which includes traditional tropes and figures as special cases. For the ostrannenie in his poetics Vasiliev uses the method of breaking stereotypes, which allows him to attract the attention of the reader, making the image unusual and alien. The article provides examples of violation of poetic stereotypes inherent in Russian poetry: the symbol of poetry - a goose feather, sound like silver, as well as a typical for Vasiliev method of violating ethnic stereotypes, for example, appearance: attribution of Asian features to a lyric hero - slanting eyes, cheekbones, etc. Thus, a broad understanding of ostrannenie in Novikov’s theory makes it possible not only to fundamentally unite traditional tropes and figures, but also includes specific individual author’s techniques of poetic technique.