Topos as Symbolic Memory Space in Autobiographical Prose of M. A. Voloshin and Mythopoetic Tradition of Plato

Abstract

The author analyses autobiographical prose of the poet of the Silver Age M. A. Voloshin (1877–1932) in the context of Plato’s philosophy and mythology. The subject of the analysis is topology of writer’s spiritual wandering and memory phenomenology. The materials of the study are memoirs and diary prose of the 1900s, series of autobiographical articles, sketches and essays of the 1900–1910s, lectures and incomplete sketches united by the subjects of travel, spiritual wandering and self-discovery. It turns out that cosmology, mythology and the doctrine about Plato’s memory had impact on formation of the Voloshin’s creative principles. Topos is considered as a memory place that becomes a sacred space according to Plato’s dialogues. Motives of secular and sacred space, plots of journey, wandering in a labyrinth, and an exit from darkness are analysed. Toposes that became symbolical space of memory for Voloshin are allocated. These are Munich (the city of museums and beer), Budapest (the labyrinth city and the museum city), St. Petersburg (the museum city and the cemetery city), Rome (the labyrinth city, the museum city and the artistic city), Paris (the museum city, the labyrinth city, the theatre city, the carnival city, the artistic city and the brothel city). Plato’s traditions and aesthetic utopianism of the Silver Age created a concept of the “Ideal Topos”. It is the city of museums and the artistic city where the gothic temple has an important role. Topos is analysed as consciousness chronotope when space is supplemented with historical time. In conclusion it is show that Antique, Christian, natural and cosmic toposes became dominating for Voloshin’s concepts and creativity; they are opposed to the modern cities that have apocalyptic origin. Gothic space that symbolises topos of the Christian culture is the most important for the author. Refs 39.