Phenomenon of Gogol’s Axiological Portrait: Contradiction between the Desired and the Actual

Aim. To describe and justify Gogol’s desire for positive assessments in the search for a positive character. To create an axiological portrait of Gogol in the context of linguistic-axiological research.
Methodology. The theoretical basis of the study was made up of works on the study of the assessment category in a multi-paradigm context (E. M. Wolf, V. I. Karasik, T. V. Markelova); on the study of Gogol’s language with its rich lexical composition (V. V. Vinogradov, B. N. Eikhenbaum), poetics (V. A. Voropaev); in cognitive science (V. I. Karasik) This study used the methods of component semantic analysis, linguistic-cognitive analysis, linguistic-stylistic analysis of the speech canvas of a literary text in the interpretive context of the author-addresser – literary text – reader-addressee paradigm; pragmatic-stylistic analysis of an aesthetic sign; interpretive analysis.
Results. Knowledge of the world in artistic thinking passes through the knowledge of language, which creates the opportunity for a creative dialogue between the subject and language, and here the discovery of language, its system and its capabilities is literally accomplished. The language of the “laughing judge,” inspired by the thirst for knowledge of Russia and the Russian people, was a discovery of this kind for contemporaries and still remains for us. The axiological portrait of Gogol is considered as a phenomenon of Russian life, relevant “yesterday” and “today”, inspired by the search of a positive character forced in the analyzed artistic space to move away from the realism with which his talent blessed him. The features of assessment-fantasy are revealed, reflecting paradoxical and absurdist meanings, the way out of which is the discovery of positive meanings in Russian people and Russian life. As an evaluative contrast, the technique of “transforming” the commendable into the blameworthy, the negative into the positive, the dead bureaucrat turning into a noble knight, is described. The role of pragmemes in the expression of double evaluation as the basis of assessment-fantasy is demonstrated. The non-existent, unreal appears in an evaluative form.
Research implications. Based on theoretical data, evaluative classification and a modern cognitivediscursive approach to the text, specific features of evaluation-fantasy are identified, its role in the study of Gogol’s work is shown - the “enchanted place” of Russian literature, the treasury of “immortal laughter”, the space of the unreal in the real. An attempt has been made to interpret Gogol’s visions in a modern way.

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