A Study On The Theme Of Redemption In Tokarczuk's "Eternity And Other Times

Olga Tokarczuk(1962-)is a renowned contemporary Polish author,the writer has received the world’s attention as the recipient of the highest honour in Polish literature,the Nikkor Prize,on several occasions,and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2018.In Primeval and Other Times,a novel written in 1996 and her masterpiece,Tokarczuk shapes a microcosm in order to map the problems of faith that exist in Polish society,and expresses her thoughts on salvation by describing the changes of the characters in the microcosm.Much of the depth of Tokarczuk’s fiction relies on her distinctive religious interpretations,or rather her inquiry into the destiny of mankind,mainly through reflections and constructions within a Catholic framework.Her writing is strongly imbued with a Christian humanism,particularly in Primeval and Other Times.In the novel,the author has created a village in which her characters live and a world in which God lives on eight levels,linking the book through the names and times of many characters.The women are represented by Misha and Ruta,and through them people are urged to enjoy life and to realise the value of life in a state of "mutual love".By describing the paths chosen by the different genders,Tokarczuk expresses his thoughts on the relationship between life and time.The author intersperses the characters’ activities with the episode "Time of Play",which describes the changes in the eight layers of the world,and through the changes in the eight layers of the world he maps the gradual distancing of man from God in the real world,thus revealing the author’s exploration of faith and salvation.To express the theme of salvation,Tokarczuk uses a variety of modern narrative techniques,including allegorical narratives and alternative narrative series,as well as "dialogues" of characters and "monologues" of the author,which make the novel’s narrative and structural layout unique.The novel’s narrative techniques and structure are unique,reflecting the author’s unique exploration and innovative value in the art of narrative fiction.