The Novel “The Aviator” by Evgeny G. Vodolazkin as an Example of Petersburg Text
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu30.2023.407Abstract
The author argues that Evgeny Vodolazkin’s multi-layered and multifaceted novel “The Aviator” can be interpreted in different ways. The article is devoted to the interpretation of the 21st century novel as a classic example of a continuous Petersburg Text, in which everything is significant, starting from the epigraph and dedication. The meaning and symbolism of the name of the main character Innokenty (Innocent), the pattern of the patronymic Petrovich, the meaning of his surname Platonov, are explained. The semantics of proper names plays a significant role: Anastasia, Zaretsky, Geiger, Anna. The text of the novel is thoroughly permeated with literary reminiscences and associations. Various techniques used by the author refer to the experiments of the Silver Age, self-citation in the works of Fyodor Sologub, and games with the reader in the novels of Vladimir Nabokov. “The Aviator” is compared with St. Petersburg novels “Crime and Punishment” and “The Idiot” by Fyodor Dostoevsky; other stories and novels of this writer are also involved in the analysis. Particular attention is paid to the theme of resurrection, justice, repentance, the problem of moral choice, guilt and innocence. There is a connection with the works of Aleksandre Pushkin. Various kinds of allusions are analyzed from “Belkin’s Tales” and the novel in verse “Eugene Onegin” to individual poems. The symbolic meaning and metaphorical nature of the title is revealed in its interaction with the composition of the novel, epigraph, dedication, and images of the main characters. The influence of ancient Russian literature is noted. Among the intertextual echoes, an important place belongs to biblical stories, mythological parallels, and the influence of works of world literature. Explicit and implicit quotes are used by the author in his thoughts about the meaning and uniqueness of human life, about inner freedom and suffering, about fate and the inevitability of death, about mercy, Christian love and forgiveness.
Keywords:
“The Aviator”, Petersburg text, Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Silver Age, “The Idiot”
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Articles of "The World of Russian Word" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.