Faust of Yuri Levitansky

Abstract

This article explores the poetic image of Faust by Yuri Levitansky. Not all scholars of Russian Faustian of the 20th century notice the contribution of Levitansky to the development of the image of Faust. Levitansky speaks of Faust primarily in his lyric book “Letters to Katerina, or A Walk with Faust”. In this Levitansky tries the free verse in Faust’s discourse on alchemy and claims liberation from rhyme and meter. When Faust begins to talk about alchemy, Levitansky moves from the syllabo-tonic to free verse. Portraying Faust in his book “Letters to Katerina, or Walk with Faust” Levitansky uses a complex range of tools that enhance the level of the literary text. This is “poetry on the go”; an experiment with the phonics, meter, graphics; unusual subject and addressee; a metamorphosis and variations of the leitmotif of time. The dialogue with Goethe in Levitansky, evident at the levels of the architectonics, character system, motive field, problematics and less visible in aspects of the chronotope and the subject, creates the volume and dramatic plasticity of the poetic book. “Faust” of Levitansky – is a lyricized person, full of strength, capable of friendship. This image is outside the heroic paradigm, but not because of deheroization, but because of the lack of desire for heroic incarnation.