Artistic idea
Artistic idea
The main idea contained in a work of art. The idea expresses the author’s attitude to the problem posed in his work, to the thoughts expressed by the characters. The idea of a work is a generalization of the entire content of the work.
Only in normative-didactic works the idea of a work takes on the character of a clearly expressed unambiguous judgment (such, for example, fable). Usually, artistic idea cannot be reduced to any single statement reflecting the author’s thought. Thus, the idea of “War and Peace” by L.N. Tolstoy cannot be reduced to thoughts about the insignificant role of the so-called. great people in history and about fatalism as the idea most acceptable in explaining historical events. When perceiving the plot narrative and historical and philosophical chapters of “War and Peace” as a single whole, the idea of the work is revealed as a statement about the superiority of natural, elemental life over the false and vain existence of those who thoughtlessly follow public fashion and strive for fame and success. The idea of the novel by F.M. Dostoevsky“Crime and Punishment” is broader and more multifaceted than the idea expressed by Sonya Marmeladova about the inadmissibility of a person deciding whether another has the right to live. For F. M. Dostoevsky, thoughts about murder as a sin committed by a person against himself, and as a sin that alienates the killer from those close and dear to him, are no less important. Equally important for understanding the idea of the novel is the idea of the limitations of human rationality, of the insurmountable flaw of the mind, capable of constructing any logically consistent theory. The author shows that only life and religious intuition and faith can refute the atheistic and inhumane theory.
Often the idea of a work is not reflected at all in the statements of the narrator or characters and can be defined very roughly. This feature is inherent primarily in many so-called. post-realistic works (for example, stories, novellas and plays by A.P. Chekhov) and the works of modernist writers depicting an absurd world (for example, novels, novellas and stories by F. Kafka).
Denial of the existence of the idea of a work is characteristic of literature postmodernism; The idea of the work is not recognized by postmodern theorists either. According to postmodernist ideas, a literary text is independent of the will and intention of the author, and the meaning of the work is born when it is read by the reader, who freely places the work in one or another semantic context. Instead of the idea of a work, postmodernism offers a play of meanings, in which a certain final semantic authority is impossible: any idea contained in a work is presented with irony, with detachment. However, in fact, it is hardly justified to talk about the absence of ideas in postmodernist writings. The impossibility of serious judgment, total irony and the playful nature of existence - this is the idea that unites postmodern literature.
Literature and language. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Edited by prof. Gorkina A.P. 2006 .
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Books
- The Knight in Tiger Skin, Shota Rustaveli. Moscow, 1941. State Publishing House " Fiction". Publisher's binding with a gilded profile of the author. Good preservation. With many individual illustrations...
The gasoline is yours, the ideas are ours
When analyzing a literary work, the concept of “idea” is traditionally used, which most often means the answer to the question allegedly posed by the author.
The idea of a literary work - this is the main idea that summarizes the semantic, figurative, emotional content of a literary work.
Artistic idea of the work – this is the content-semantic integrity of a work of art as a product of emotional experience and mastery of life by the author. This idea cannot be recreated by means of other arts and logical formulations; it is expressed throughout artistic structure work, the unity and interaction of all its formal components. Conventionally (and in a narrower sense), an idea stands out as the main thought, ideological conclusion and “life lesson” that naturally follows from a holistic comprehension of the work.
An idea in literature is a thought contained in a work. There are a great many ideas expressed in literature. Exist logical ideas And abstract ideas . Logical ideas are concepts that are easily conveyed without figurative means; we are able to perceive them with our intellect. Logical ideas are characteristic of nonfiction literature. Fictional novels and stories are characterized by philosophical and social generalizations, ideas, analyzes of causes and consequences, that is, abstract elements.
But there is also special kind very subtle, barely perceptible ideas of a literary work. Artistic idea is a thought embodied in figurative form. It lives only in figurative transformation and cannot be expressed in the form of sentences or concepts. The peculiarity of this thought depends on the disclosure of the topic, the author’s worldview, conveyed by the speech and actions of the characters, and on the depiction of pictures of life. It lies in the combination of logical thoughts, images, and all significant compositional elements. An artistic idea cannot be reduced to a rational idea that can be specified or illustrated. The idea of this type is integral to the image, to the composition.
Forming an artistic idea is difficult creative process. In literature it is influenced personal experience, the writer’s worldview, understanding of life. An idea can be nurtured for years and decades, and the author, trying to realize it, suffers, rewrites the manuscript, and looks for suitable means of implementation. All themes, characters, all events selected by the author are necessary for a more complete expression of the main idea, its nuances and shades. However, it is necessary to understand that an artistic idea is not equal ideological plan, that plan that often appears not only in the writer’s head, but also on paper. Exploring non-fictional reality, reading diaries, notebooks, manuscripts, archives, literary scholars restore the history of the idea, the history of creation, but often do not discover the artistic idea. Sometimes it happens that the author goes against himself, yielding to the original plan for the sake of artistic truth, an internal idea.
One thought is not enough to write a book. If you know in advance everything that you would like to talk about, then you should not contact artistic creativity. Better - to criticism, journalism, journalism.
The idea of a literary work cannot be contained in one phrase and one image. But writers, especially novelists, sometimes struggle to formulate the idea of their work. Dostoevsky about “The Idiot” he wrote: “The main idea of the novel is to portray positively wonderful person" For such a declarative ideology Dostoevsky scolded, for example, Nabokov. Indeed, the phrase of the great novelist does not clarify why, why he did it, what is the artistic and vital basis of his image. But here you can hardly take sides Nabokov, a down-to-earth second-line writer, never, unlike Dostoevsky who does not set himself creative super-tasks.
Along with the authors' attempts to determine the so-called main idea of his work, opposite, although no less confusing, examples are known. Tolstoy to the question “what is “War and Peace”? answered as follows: ““War and Peace” is what the author wanted and could express in the form in which it was expressed.” Reluctance to translate the idea of your work into the language of concepts Tolstoy demonstrated once again, speaking about the novel “Anna Karenina”: “If I wanted to say in words everything that I had in mind to express in a novel, then I would have to write the very one that I wrote first” (from a letter to N.Strakhov).
Belinsky very accurately pointed out that “art does not allow abstract philosophical, much less rational ideas: it allows only poetic ideas; and the poetic idea is<…>It’s not a dogma, it’s not a rule, it’s a living passion, pathos.”
V.V. Odintsov expressed his understanding of the category “artistic idea” more strictly: “Idea literary composition is always specific and is not directly derived not only from those lying outside it individual statements writer (facts of his biography, public life etc.), but also from the text - from replicas goodies, journalistic inserts, comments by the author himself, etc.”
2000 ideas for novels and stories
Literary critic G.A. Gukovsky also spoke about the need to distinguish between rational, that is, rational, and literary ideas: “By idea I mean not only a rationally formulated judgment, statement, not even just the intellectual content of a work of literature, but the entire sum of its content, constituting its intellectual function, its goal and task.” And he further explained: “To understand the idea of a literary work means to understand the idea of each of its components in their synthesis, in their systemic interconnection.<…>. At the same time, it is important to take into account structural features works - not only the words-bricks from which the walls of the building are made, but the structure of the combination of these bricks as parts of this structure, their meaning.”
The idea of a literary work is an attitude towards what is depicted, the fundamental pathos of the work, a category that expresses the author’s tendency (inclination, intention, preconceived thought) in artistic lighting this topic. In other words, idea is the subjective basis of a literary work. It is noteworthy that in Western literary criticism, based on other methodological principles, instead of the category “artistic idea”, the concept of “intention”, a certain premeditation, the tendency of the author to express the meaning of the work is used.
The greater the artistic idea, the longer the work lives. The creators of pop literature who write outside of great ideas face very rapid oblivion.
V.V. Kozhinov called it an artistic idea semantic type works that grow from the interaction of images. An artistic idea, unlike a logical idea, is not formulated by an author’s statement, but is depicted in all the details of the artistic whole.
IN epic works the idea can be partly formulated in the text itself, as was the case in the narrative Tolstoy: “There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth.” More often, especially in lyric poetry, the idea permeates the structure of the work and therefore requires a lot of analytical work. A work of art as a whole is much richer than the rational idea that critics usually isolate, and in many lyrical works isolating an idea is simply impossible, because it practically dissolves in pathos. Consequently, the idea of a work should not be reduced to a conclusion or a lesson, and in general one should certainly look for it.
Along with the terms “theme” and “problem,” the concept of an artistic idea represents one of the facets of the content of a work of art. The concept of idea was put forward in antiquity. Plato interpreted ideas as entities that are beyond reality and constitute the ideal world, the true, in Plato’s understanding, reality. For Hegel, the idea is objective truth, the coincidence of subject and object, the highest point of development. I. Kant introduced the concept “ aesthetic idea", associated with the concept of beauty, which, according to Kant, is subjective.
In literary criticism, the term “idea” was used to designate the author’s thoughts and feelings figuratively expressed in works of art - this is the emotionally charged content center of a work of art. The author here is presented as a bearer of a certain ideological and artistic position, an exponent of a certain point of view, and not a passive “imitator” of nature. In this regard, along with the word “idea”, the concepts “concept of a work” and “author’s concept” were used.
An artistic idea is not an abstract concept, unlike scientific and philosophical categories. It cannot be expressed in a specific verbal formula, as happens, for example, in scientific texts. A figurative idea is always deeper than its schematic representation (a kind of verbal paraphrase).
However, it happens that ideas are expressed by the author directly, in fixed verbal formulas. This sometimes happens in lyrical poetic texts that strive for laconic expression. For example, M.Yu. Lermontov in the poem “Duma” puts the main idea in the first lines: “I look sadly at our generation! / Its future is either empty or dark, / Meanwhile, under the burden of knowledge and doubt, / It will grow old in inaction.”
In addition, some of the author’s ideas can be “delegated” to characters similar in worldview to the author. For example, Starodum in “Nedorosl” by D.I. Fonvizina becomes a “mouthpiece” of the author’s ideas, as “befits” a reasoner in classic comedies. In a realistic novel of the 19th century, a hero close to the author can express thoughts in tune with the author - such is Alyosha Karamazov in “The Brothers Karamazov” by F.M. Dostoevsky.
Some writers themselves formulate the idea of their works in the prefaces to them (for example, M.Yu. Lermontov in the preface to the second edition of “A Hero of Our Time”).
It is thanks to its figurative expression that an artistic idea becomes deeper than even the author’s abstract explanations of his idea. As already mentioned, a specific feature of an artistic idea is that it is not reducible to an abstract position; imagery is expressed only in the artistic whole of the work. This leads to another feature of the artistic idea. A truly artistic idea is not initially given. It can change significantly from the conception stage to the completion of the work.
The idea of the work includes the author’s assessment of selected facts and phenomena of life. But this assessment is also expressed in figurative form - through the artistic representation of the typical in the individual. The thought expressed in the work is not only figurative, but also emotionally charged. V.G. Belinsky wrote that the poet contemplates the idea “not with reason, not with reason, not with feeling and not with any one ability of his soul, but with all the fullness and integrity of his moral being - and therefore the idea appears, in his work, not abstract thought, not a dead form, but a living creature, in which the living beauty of the form testifies to the presence of the divine idea in it and in which ... there is no boundary between the idea and the form, but both are a whole and single organic creation.”
A literary work is thoroughly imbued with the author’s personal attitude. This component within the ideological core in modern literary criticism is called differently: emotional-value orientation, mode of artistry, type of author's emotionality.
A literary text is full of meanings, they can be found in different relationships to each other. Ideological meaning the work represents the unity of several ideas (according to L. Tolstoy’s figurative definition - “an endless labyrinth of connections”), united by a main idea that permeates the entire structure of the work. For example, the multifaceted ideological meaning of “The Captain’s Daughter” by A.S. Pushkin is a combination of the ideas of nationality, mercy, and historical justice.
When analyzing a work of art, it is always important not only what the author wanted to say in it, but also what he accomplished - “had an impact.” The writer’s plan may be realized to a greater or lesser extent, but it is the author’s point of view in assessing the characters, events, and problems raised that should be the ultimate truth in the analysis
Definition of the concept
Illustrative examples
Let us recall one of the masterpieces of Russian and world literature of the 19th century - L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace”. What the author said about him: he loved “folk thought” in the book. What are the main ideas of the work? This is, first of all, a statement that the people are the main asset of the country, driving force history, creator of material and spiritual values. In the light of this understanding, the author develops the narrative of the epic. Tolstoy persistently leads the main characters of “War and Peace” through a series of tests, to “simplification”, to familiarization with the people’s worldview, worldview, and worldview. Thus, Natasha Rostova is much closer and dearer to the writer and to us than Helen Kuragina or Julie Karagina. Natasha is far from being as beautiful as the first, and not as rich as the second. But it is in this “countess”, who hardly speaks Russian, that there is something primordial, national, natural that makes her similar to common people. And Tolstoy sincerely admires her during the dance (episode “Visiting Uncle”), and describes her in such a way that we too fall under the amazing charm of the image. The author's idea of the work is remarkably revealed using examples from Pierre Bezukhov. Both aristocrats, who at the beginning of the novel live with their own personal problems, each go through their own paths of spiritual and moral quest. And they also begin to live in the interests of their country and the common people.
Cause-and-effect relationships
The idea of a work of art is expressed by all its elements, the interaction and unity of all components. It can be considered a conclusion, a kind of “life lesson” that the reader makes and learns by becoming familiar with the literary text, getting acquainted with its content, and becoming imbued with the thoughts and feelings of the author. Here it is important to understand that parts of the writer’s soul exist not only in positive, but also negative heroes. In this regard, F. M. Dostoevsky said very well: in each of us the “ideal of Sodom” fights with the “ideal of Madonna,” “God with the devil,” and the battlefield of this battle is the human heart. Svidrigailov from Crime and Punishment is a very revealing personality. A libertine, a cynic, a scoundrel, in fact a murderer; sometimes pity, compassion and even some decency are not alien to him. And before committing suicide, the hero does several good deeds: he settles Katerina Ivanovna’s children, lets Dunya go... And Raskolnikov himself, the main character of the work, obsessed with the idea of becoming a superman, is also torn by conflicting thoughts and feelings. Dostoevsky, a very difficult person in everyday life, reveals different sides of his “I” in his heroes. From biographical sources about the writer we know that in different periods He played a lot in his life. Impressions of the destructive impact of this destructive passion are reflected in the novel “The Gambler.”
Theme and idea
There's one more thing left to figure out important question- about how the theme and idea of the work relate. In a nutshell, this is explained as follows: the theme is what is described in the book, the idea is the author’s assessment and attitude towards it. Let's say Pushkin's story " Stationmaster" Life is revealed in it" little man“- powerless, oppressed by everyone, but having a heart, soul, dignity and awareness of himself as part of a society that looks down on him. This is the topic. And the idea is to reveal the moral superiority of a small person with a rich inner world in front of those who are above him on the social ladder, but are poor in soul.
Any analysis of a literary work begins with identifying its theme and idea. There is a close semantic and logical connection between them, thanks to which the literary text is perceived as an integral unity of form and content. A correct understanding of the meaning of the literary terms theme and idea allows us to determine how accurately the author was able to realize his creative plan and whether his book is worth the reader’s attention.
The theme of a literary work is a semantic definition of its content, reflecting the author’s vision of the depicted phenomenon, event, character or other artistic reality.
An idea is a writer’s plan, pursuing a specific goal in creating artistic images, using the principles of plot construction and achieving the compositional integrity of a literary text.
What is the difference between a theme and an idea?
Figuratively speaking, a theme can be considered any reason that prompted the writer to take up the pen and transfer it to Blank sheet paper reflected in artistic images perception surrounding reality. You can write about anything; another question: for what purpose, what task should I set myself?
The goal and task determine the idea, the disclosure of which constitutes the essence of an aesthetically valuable and socially significant literary work.
Among the diversity literary themes There are several main directions that serve as guidelines for the flight of the writer’s creative imagination. These are historical, social, adventure, detective, psychological, moral and ethical, lyrical, philosophical topics. The list goes on. It will include both original author's notes and literary diaries, and stylistically refined extracts from archival documents.
The theme, felt by the writer, acquires spiritual content, an idea, without which the book page will remain just a coherent text. The idea can be reflected in historical analysis problems important to society, in depicting complex psychological moments on which human fate depends, or simply in creating a lyrical sketch that awakens a sense of beauty in the reader.
The idea is the deep content of the work. Theme is a motive that allows you to realize a creative idea within a specific, precisely defined context.
The difference between a topic and an idea
The theme determines the actual and semantic content of the work.
The idea reflects the tasks and goals of the writer, which he strives to achieve while working on a literary text.
The theme has formative functions: it can be revealed in small literary genres or be developed into a major epic work.
The idea is the main content core literary text. It corresponds to the conceptual level of organization of the work as an aesthetically significant whole.
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