Memoirs of Andrei Bely and V.V. Nabokov through the prism of Bakhtin's chro-notope theory

Li Nan,

PhD student of Philology

Nanjing Normal University (Nanjing, China)

e-mail: ln970814@126.com

Mikhailova Maria V.,

Doctor of Philology, Professor of the History of Contemporary Russian

Literature and Modern Literary Process Department

Lomonosov Moscow State University

e-mail: mary1701@mail.ru

Bakhtin’s theory of chronotope holds a key position in the study of the novel genre, yet it has not been widely applied to ego-documents. This article attempts to apply it to the texts of writers whose memoirs possess not only documentary, historical, and literary value but also artistic significance. The memoir trilogy of Andrei Bely and the book “Speak, Memory” by V.V. Nabokov reveal the authors’ unique techniques of space-time construction in each case. In other words, we observe two distinct types of chronotope: one is continuous and fluid, while the other is fractional and fragmentary. The characters in these works are also depicted differently, influenced by the chronotope. The various temporal and spatial characteristics of the narratives illustrate the two writers’ conceptions of a person’s existence within the flow of history, particularly during times of crisis. This approach allows us to discern each author’s perspective on whether a person is passively enmeshed in the historical process or actively engages with it. Although the memoirs of Andrei Bely and Nabokov differ in style and content, both authors highlight the close connection between the personal chronotope and the external world, as well as the interplay of spatiotemporal features with other textual elements. The construction of the chronotope in the memoirs of these writers reflects the consistency of their creative endeavors in this genre. In summary, chronotope theory offers new insights for the study of ego-documents.

Keywords: chronotope, writer’s memoirs, Andrei Bely, V.V. Nabokov

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