Евангельская семантика женских образов Марфеньки и Веры в романе И. А. Гончарова «Обрыв»
The Evangelical Semantics of the Female Images of Martha and Vera in the Novel “The Precipice” by I. A. Goncharov

Summary/Abstract: The article for the first time studies the gospel basis of the images of Marthenka and Vera in I. A. Goncharov’s novel “The Precipice”. Just as Pushkin highlighted an ideal image of Tatyana Larina comparing it to that one of her sister Olga, Goncharov emphasizes the personality of Vera by contrasting her with Martha. The main theme of the novel is a spiritual order of Russia that is on the brink of a “precipice” (i. e. atheism). The meaning of the name of one of the protagonists — Vera, that is Faith, — plays an important semantic role in the novel, symbolizing a possibility of the salvation of Russia, overcoming of the historical “precipices” based on faith in God. The sisters’ images point to two different paths to Holiness: the path of Martha and the path of Mary, described in the gospel. Marthenka hides under the shadow of someone else’s authority and experience, avoiding thus temptation and mistakes.

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