Structure of Urban Topos in the story by Vasyl Stus “[So it was repeatedly]”.

Abstract

The article deals with the specifics of artistic realization of urban topos in unfinished story by Vasyl Stus “[So it was repeatedly]”. Unfinished work on the life of a mineworker presents specific perception of urban space by protagonist. Due to the uncertainty of the concept of “topos” in modern literary studies, it was clarified its scope, involving, in particular, thoughts by Yu. Lotman. Topos should be recognized as the open space for realization of artistic meanings that correlate with empiric reality. Separately, it is stressed that the city is topos, being subject to a system of loci (partially enclosed spaces). It was defined, that the features of topos structure in the story by V. Stus are corresponding with time parameters. City raises as an organic environment of human existence, the “first” and “second” natures tightly woven, constitute a coherent set of experiences for the hero – Andrii Petrick. Topos of city in the story as a whole can be characterized as discrete. Noticeable consistent dynamism of its components – loci – binding to the movement of the hero (if understanding the movement in the broad sense: physical movement, the movement of thought, retrospection and so on). Clear structure in urban topology is not observed, however, usually observed association of multiple loci components completely isolated space in the story was not noticed. The loci, occasionally observed by hero, are repeatedly specified with characteristic “augmented reality” – with the release into philosophical generalizations. The perspective seems to use the latter principle (“augmented reality”) to the study of topos in urban prose by other authors.