Poetic Inspiration: Tolstoy Novel Poetics Research

Brief introduction to the dissertation:The poetics in Lev Tolstoy's novels is on the one hand a severe critique of the reality while facing it,and on the other, a persistent pursuit of ultimate truth of human beings. The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the poetical expressions of Tolstoy's persistent pursuit of the ultimate values of human beings,and at the same time to pay much attention to his critique of the reality.The poetical revelation in the poetics of Tolstoy's novels was completed in the concrete historical context of Russian thoughts,culture,literature and art with intense personal efforts of exploration by the author. It is therefore substantially real and profoundly individualistic.Its substantial connotations are such transcendent notions as eternal morality,redemptive feelings and ultimate values.The two dimensions of these notions include 1)that they are the products of the traditional Russian culture embodying its far-reaching influence;and 2)that they are the products of the real social contradictions that are activated in the thoughts of the author.Tolstoy tries to have it conduct the mission of solving the real social contradictions but,in effect,he avoids the most severe social contradictions.The contradictions that are manifested on the level of content are in the same manner revealed in the artisitic expressions.The texual and psychological formation of the poetical revelation is completed in the dilemma in which the author tries to transcend the reality but cannot get rid of it.This dilemma is also manifested in the shift of narrative perspectives,in the emotional formalizations,in the ontological symbolizations and in the psychological workings of the characters.The contradictions on the level of ideology are organically incorporated into the tension on the level of artistic expression,building up the artistic appeal of Tolstoy's poetical revelation.