THE TRANSFORMATION OF OBSEQUIES IN V. RASPUTIN'S LATE NOVELS

Abstract

The relevance of the paper is associated with the motive of death, structure-directing for whole Rasputin's prose. The common notions about world order are imaged in the rite of passage, the most important rite in the funeral complex. The paper analyses the 1990s novels – «Into the same land» («V tu zhe zemlu»), «The day of prayer for the dead» («Pominnyj den»), «Hut» («Izba») as the most representative. The method of the research is hermeneutic. The obsequies in the late Rasputin's novels are essentially transformed. This deals with author's search of the new foundation of existence, the new protogonist who is able to survive in the chaotic world. The research revealed that the openness of the death, fusion of pagan and Christian symbols, development of the new space, which could become the foundation of the nation’s self-escape, are significant for the poetics of Rasputin’s late novels. The death of the patriarchal hero (the rite of separation) is understood as an end, but the death of old women becomes a creation of new space, transformation of existence. Intermediate rite presents the transformation of the principles through association with the afterworld. The function of the conductor, helping the deceased to join the world of the dead, is important. This role is taken by Pashuta («In the same land»), becoming the «cering being», Olka («The day of prayer for the dead»), proceeding posteriori ritual by the song, the hut («Hut») is converted into a transitional space. The rite of inclusion is permissible only after deep changes in the foundations of the present, which makes the possibility to survive. Thus, in V. Rasputin’s late texts death is revealed as a continuation of life, and life is often as a preparation for the transition. The changing of life entails the transformation of the funeral rite, which makes us to look for another model of the world.