Genre-Thematic Originality of F. A. Iskander's Animalistic Works

Abstract

The subject of the study is the genre-semantic specificity of F. A. Iskander's animalistic prose. The object of research is four of his works: "Rooster", "Uncle Kazim's Horse", "The Story of the mule of the old Habug" and "Broad–brow". The author examines in detail such aspects of the topic as the peculiarities of the functioning of animal images, as well as fable and novelistic features in the poetics of Iskander's animalistic works. The influence of the novel genre determines the interest in the unique and the presence of affective contradiction. Hidden didacticism, expressed in the recurring motif of separation of man and animal, and poorly structured detailing refer to the genre of fable. Special attention is paid to the genesis of the above-mentioned phenomena. The author made the following conclusions. Firstly, the animalistic images of Iskander do not have obvious folklore roots: animals do not perform the function of a magical assistant, their intelligence is not connected with the cult of ancestors or werewolves. Secondly, the allegorical nature of the narrative is destroyed due to psychologism in the description of animals. A special contribution of the author to the study is the comparison of Iskander 's animalism with the works of Ch. Darwin. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that several well-established positions among Iskander scholars have been reinterpreted. Firstly, the analyzed works of Iskander are not just short stories, but are a synthesis of a short story and a fable. Secondly, the analogism of animals and humans, the ability of animals to metaphysical reflection are not an individual feature of Iskander's poetics, but are due to the influence of the works of Ch. Darwin. Thirdly, an attempt has been made to challenge the well-established opinion that animals in Iskander's works are more moral than people. In fact, they are true to the natural laws that people have stopped following. Iskander portrays the political regime as an aggressive biological environment, to which it is more difficult for animals to adapt than for humans. The analysis of Iskander's work clearly shows that Darwinism gives scope for new interpretations of literary animalism.