V. P. Kataev’s Comedy “The Road of Flowers”: Allusions and Social Component

Aim. To identify and investigate the allusions and the social component of reality in the artistic structure of V. Kataev’s comedy “The Road of Flowers”.

Methodology. The criticism, reviews, and articles of the Soviet and post-Soviet authors are analyzed. The archival research work of the period under consideration has been carried out. Textual, structural, and sociological methods of studying literature were used in the study. A selective analysis of the work was carried out, the artistic layer of the work was revealed, in which allusions of L. S. Vygotsky’s scientific works, components of social reality were used. The artistic elements and techniques that allowed the author to express the idea hidden behind the external action were determined.

Results. The results of the study compensate for the lack of a critical approach to the play, in the Soviet period associated with literary politics, in recent times – with the lack of research interest in V. Kataev’s dramaturgy. From the appearance of the comedy in public to the present, it was believed that the comedy “The Road of Flowers” is a satirical comedy ridiculing the demagogue Zavyalov, who talks about the fantastic Soviet future, cynically using his publicity for vulgar purposes. However, the analysis made it possible to establish that the external satirical action is a cover for the main idea of the author. The results of the study showed that the author’s critical expression, based on the allusive and social material located in the artistic structure of the satirical action, directs the reader/viewer’s attention to the scientific works of L. S. Vygotsky and the generalized image of the Zavyalov liberals, expanding the knowledge base of the scientist’s works.

Research implications. The allusive and social aspect of comedy revealed in the study will serve to understand the “Road of Flowers” in the context of comedy dramaturgy of the early 1930s. The means and techniques of dramaturgy, as well as the hidden theme of the work revealed in the study, will expand the idea of V. P. Kataev’s comedic work. The research materials can be used in lectures on dramaturgy of the 1920s–30s, seminars dedicated to the dramaturgy of V. P. Kataev. The results of the work can be used by artistic directors of theaters, directors, set designers in staging Kataev’s dramatic works on stage.

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