Article

Name: Transparent minds and peasant subjectivity in the novella “The Inn” by Ivan Turgenev

Authors: Alexey V. Vdovin

HSE University, Moscow, Russian Federation

In the section Study of literature

Abstract:

The representation of characters’ minds and consciousness in Ivan Turgenev’s novella “The Inn” (1852), published in 1856, is explored through narratological methods. The author puts forth a hypothesis that Turgenev mastered the novelistic form by practicing auctorial narratives with a heterodiegetic narrator. This hypothesis is based on the theory of “transparent minds” formulated by Dorrit Cohn and her followers. In this respect, the lifestyle and consciousness of peasants, not deemed understandable by other educated social groups at the time, serves as a convenient tool for Turgenev to employ the auctorial narrative style and the technique of lucid thinking in “Mumu” and “The Inn.” The latter work introduces a groundbreaking portrayal of the peasant’s subjectivity, achieved through the exploration of direct thought, indirect speech and thought, and the narrative of thought acts. In the finale of the novella, the narrator dedicates significant attention to the protagonist, Akim, carefully observing his outer and inner speech, its subsequent loss, and eventual recovery. The metaphysical and profound significance of “The Inn” lies in Akim’s transformative journey following a material and moral catastrophe. Overnight, he loses both his modestly acquired wealth and his spouse, leading him to undergo a process of repentance and enlightenment. Their influence leads him to spiritual renewal, reestablishing the profound significance of existence and embarking on a devout journey through holy sites. Consequently, the return of speech and the inner rebirth can be interpreted as a manifestation of subjectivity and even agency of the hero.

Keywords: narratology, transparent minds, Ivan Turgenev, “The Inn”, “Mumu”, character’s subjectivity, peasants in fiction

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