Vol 29, No 4 (2024): MAGICAL AND HORRIBLE IN LITERATURE

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The game principles of the art space's organization in D.W. Jones's novel Hexwood are considered. The aim of the study is to identify Hexwood`s game aspects in the context of fantasy's genre features in the XXth century`s second half. Objectives of the study are to formulate the game principles of the fantasy genre and to trace their realization in the novel. The general thesis is that the game's phenomenon has been actualized in literature and art at the compositional and thematic levels, which corresponds to the game culture's tradition. In fantasy, game features are particularly revealed, which allows us to distinguish three aspects of their consideration: game principles of secondary world creating, problem-themed field, intertextual play with pretexts. All of this points to great gaming potential of the fantasy. It is concluded that the space and the time in D.W. Jones's novel Hexwood become more complex and non-linear. It's also revealed several levels of associations and allusions to the Arthurian cycle. All personages are involved in the cyborg Bannus's game, based on the Arthurian tales, but in addition to their recognizable roles (Arthur, Merlin, Amfortas, etc.), almost all of the characters play other roles, not realized by them.

The Harry Potter series is the story of Harry, an orphan-hero, who is on the quest of self-discovery; it unfolds through a series of adventures he goes on with his friends at Hogwarts. The series falls into a fuzzy set - a blend of genres - Bildungsroman, fantasy tale, mystery thriller, crossover tale, children’s literature, gothic tale, and quest romance. Harry’s journey of growing up is narrated with thrilling rigour and crafted with care by J.K. Rowling; the novels are imbued with warmth, inclusivity and fun. This led to her fame, recognition and success. These novels culminate in good triumphing over evil which is a trademark of high fantasy. This phenomenon is called “poetic justice” - a term coined by Thomas Rhymer. The paper attempts to locate and analyse the Eucatastrophe which is defined by JRR Tolkien as “the sudden joyous “turn” …a sudden and miraculous grace: never to be counted on to recur”. Several instances of Eucatastrophes from the seven novels are chosen and decoded to be studied in line with how they facilitate making certain events believable or how the story evolves; they add hope, tension and often edge to the narrative. Textual and thematic analyses are used in the study to articulate the observations and underpinnings.

The multifaceted relationship between pedagogy, food and the human condition within Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy, delving into themes of consumption, identity, and ethics from a post-humanist perspective provides rationale to this research paper. Drawing upon the concept of “post food,” which emerges from the industrial food chain’s influence on consumption patterns, the study examines how technological advancements and industrialization that reshape human interactions with food are transacted in learning. In MaddAddam , Atwood presents a post-apocalyptic narrative that highlights the intricate interplay between food, technology, and humanity’s future. The novel portrays food production and consumption as ethical choices imbued with individual agency and linked to sustainability, challenging conventional environmentalist paradigms. Furthermore, examines the significance of edibility as a means of negotiating identity, belonging, and cohabitation within the post-apocalyptic community depicted in MaddAddam . It explores how food acts as a humanizing factor amidst the post-human landscape, where remnants of the past evoke nostalgia for “real” food. Through a synthesis of these analyses, this research paper offers a comprehensive exploration of food’s role in shaping the post-human condition in Atwood’s trilogy, shedding light on the implications of technological advancement, environmental degradation, and societal transformation on human interactions with food and the broader ecosystem, framed within the context of critical food pedagogy.

Examines the concept of “Stylization of History” and its application through the forgotten works of mid-19th-century author Nestor Vasilyevich Kukolnik. This concept is characterized by a free interpretation of the past in a figurative manner, while still maintaining reliance on well-known facts, events, or qualities of historical figures, expressed within a specific stylistic framework. If the notion of truth is pertinent to history, then relative verisimilitude is significant for Stylization of History. Kukolnik’s inclination towards stylization is attributed to his life circumstances and his aesthetic sensibilities as a writer, establishing that the portrayal of the past in his artistic endeavors was connected and influenced by the work of his friends - artist K.P. Bryullov and composer M.I. Glinka. The stylization is closely linked to the phenomena of archaization and the writer’s inclination towards literary examples from the past. It is observed that as early as the 1830s, a realistic trend started to emerge in Russian literature, but for the staunch conservative Kukolnik, the works of Western European romantics continued to serve as his models. The classic writers’ viewpoint on Kukolnik’s work is outlined, with most of them offering critical assessments. Through the analysis of the short story Sergeant Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov, or All as One , the embodiment of historical stylization in a work of art is revealed. The potential for renewed interest in Kukolnik’s work is also discussed, suggesting that his works could be reimagined in the language of modern genre forms.

The purpose to analyze the features and functions of temple ecphrasies in the poetry of E.A. Schwartz. The poems The Seven Faces of the Buddhist Temple and The Buddhist Temple are used as material, which are based on the image of the Petersburg Buddhist religious building Datsan Gunzechoinei. This topic has not previously been in the center of attention of Russian literary criticism, which determines the novelty of the presented article. Separately, it should be noted that the analysis of temple ecphrasies in the poetry of E.A. Schwartz is carried out as part of a large-scale study devoted to the study of the Buddhist text of modern Russian literature. As a result of the analysis, the author of the article comes to the following conclusions. The ecphrasies of the Petersburg Buddhist Temple in the poetry of E.A. Schwartz are based on the description of the exterior and interior of the datsan and transformed into philosophical and religious works. The poetic ecumenism of Schwartz’s work determines the image of a Buddhist temple in the form of a sacred space - in a city experiencing infernal apocalyptic desolation, flooding, and overshadowing by everyday care. The Buddhist temple, which is unusual for the Northern capital and, however, is similar to it - externally and essentially, acts as one of the centers of attraction for different cultures, gods and living and dead creatures living in a cramped and diverse city. The Petersburg/ Leningrad Buddhist temple, like the religious buildings of other religions, gives a person the opportunity to come into contact with the transcendent, the image of which is embodied in Schwartz in the heavenly heights or in the bottomless depths of the river.

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With the accelerated development of globalisation and the deepening of cultural exchanges, cross-cultural translation and literary reception have become important topics in contemporary literary studies. This review aims to explore readers’ acceptance of Ian McEwan’s novels in mainland China. To this end, the databases of CNKI, EBSCO, Web of Science, Taylor and Francis, and Science Direct have been explored, and twenty-one studies published between 2000 and 2024 have been analysed. A systematic review was used as a research methodology, and the studies were analysed using a content analysis method. The findings revealed that there is rich research on Ian McEwan’s novels but very few significant studies on how ordinary readers accept translated Ian McEwan novels in mainland China. Moreover, other studies have concluded that Chinese readers widely and extensively accept Ian McEwan’s novels as they provoke emotional feelings, arouse ethical considerations, and compel readers to reflect critically. The findings have provided researchers in literature, translation, and intercultural studies with a comprehensive understanding of the current state of reception of Ian McEwan novels in China.