Crisis of sociocultural identity in the classical Russian literature

Abstract

The paper considers several "wanderer" type characters of Russian classical literature in terms of their narrative identity, starting from Pushkin's speech by Dostoevsky. Using the category of subjective identity developed by Eric Erickson, as well as the identity separation on the outside recognizable identity of the character and the inner "self" of the person proposed by Paul Rickyer, allowed revealing one of the main trends in the Russian literature of the 19th century. The identity of the central character is problematized, with the internal splitting, non-identity to oneself becoming a plot-forming factor. In particular, Onegin, Bazarov, some of Chekhov's heroes are shown as personalities in a crisis state suffering from "sociocultural autism." Also, Chichikov and Andrei Bolkonsky, mentioned by Dostoevsky among the "baseless" heroes, are considered from this perspective. At the same time, in line with Dostoevsky's interpretation of the image of Tatiana Larina, the author reveals the manifestations of inner integrity, motivated by the personality being rooted in the national culture. Not only Pushkin's woman character is examined but also the figures of Kate ("Fathers and children") and Peter ("The Bishop"). However, the extra-crisis integrity of Odintsova by Turgenev or Olenka Plemyannikova by Chekhov is artistically discredited. In later works, the crisis split between character and personality becomes the key innovative factor in Chekhov's narrative. At the same time, the Russian classic creates such a system of values where it is not stability and strength of character that is of central concern, but the identity of a person - an analogue of national identity, motivated by the national identity of the character.