Симфонизм как принцип поэтики Достоевского
Symphonism as a Principle of F. M. Dostoevsky’s Poetics

Summary/Abstract: The article examines the principle of F. M. Dostoevsky’s poetics that determines it its unique character. In 1929, M. M. Bakhtin proposed that this principle be defined as “polyphony,” understanding it as a multiplicity of independent and unmerged voices and consciousnesses, where the author’s “voice” and the “voices” of his characters are equal and equivalent. Bakhtin’s concept contained a number of interesting observations on the structure of Dostoevsky’s works, but it raised many questions related to the author’s role in the process of creating a literary work. Nevertheless, Bakhtin’s approach pointed to the existence of a universal artistic principle uniting various art forms. This idea probably reflected the general trend of scientific thought in the early 20th century, since even before the concept of polyphony emerged, there was a hypothesis regarding of the symphonic principle underlying the construction of Dostoevsky’s novels. Subsequently, it was theoretically substantiated by a number of Russian and foreign researchers and acquired the status of an independent scientific theory. According to this theory, symphonism is the highest principle for organizing artistic material in all forms of art, taking into account their specific characteristics being taken into account. The symphonic construction lies in its ability to subjugate all minor forms of expression, including polyphony and homophony, and to orchestrate the harmonious interaction of a wide variety of artistic means in order to achieve the primary goal (that of expressing the author’s idea). And, just as music reached its heights in the symphonic works of Mozart, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky, the epic literary work reached its highest development in the works of Dostoevsky. Research has shown that the principle of symphonism is represented in various genres of the writer’s work, but most completely and comprehensively represented in his novels. In them, as in a symphony, the author’s central idea is revealed through the artistic means common to music and literature that are employed. The analysis of these means makes it possible to explain the unique character of Dostoevsky’s poetics fully, clearly, and consistently.

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