Namelessness as a poetic device in E. M. Remarque`s novel “Im westen nichts neues’’ 

Abstract.

NAMELESSNESS AS A POETIC DEVICE IN E. M. REMARQUE`S NOVEL “IM WESTEN NICHTS NEUES’’

Viktoriia Patriarkh

Department of English Philology, Vasyl` Stus Donetsk National University, Vinnytsia, Ukraine.

Abstract

Background: The important problem in contemporary poetonymy is the problem of namelessness in artistic texts, which is related to namelessness. Namelessness is a means of expanding the character space, providing the panoramic view of military events, and creating a multi-layered composition in works on military themes. The analysis of the nameless vocabulary in the novel “Im Westen nichts Neues” will allow us to identify problems related to the genre affiliation, establish the text-forming and plot-forming role of namelessness, and reveal the techniques of the poetics of namelessness that work to comprehend the text.

 Purpose: The aim of the study is to substantiate the study of namelessness as an important component of the artistic text and the indicator of the ideological and artistic concept of a literary work.

Results: The novel uses meta-object nominations of combatants by the military rank and occupation. The use of the singular form to denote the plural emphasizes the semantics of “commonality” and characterizes each of the combatants on the opposing sides. Nameless designations illustrate the opposition between friend – foe, authentically depict the tragic consequences of war, and contrast the older and younger generations. The generalized image of the “lost generation” emerges from a set of contradictory characteristics (“heroism”, “people-machines, devoid of feelings”, etc.). Semantic components such as “half-human, half-animal”, “bandits, murderers”, etc. are associated with the transformation of the younger generation caused by the war. The rethinking of the essence of war lies in the dual image of the enemy, which is actualized by comparative constructions in the context of contrasting the positions of the opposing sides.

Discussion: The namelessness of the characters is determined by the depiction of the panoramic space of the front – rear and the oppositions of peace – war and friend – foe. The contrasts, realized through nameless nominations, highlight the differences and contradictions between generations, the narrator`s critical attitude towards the ideologues of war, and the exposure of the unnatural essence of war. The perspective of the study lies in the further research into the techniques of the poetics of namelessness, as well as in improving the principles of interpreting the relationship between naming and namelessness.

Keywords: namelessness, nomination, imagery, poetics, text.

Vitae

Viktoriia Patriarkh, senior lecturer at the Department of English Philology, Vasyl` Stus Donetsk National University. Research interests: onomastics, poetonymy, lexicography, poetics of artistic text.

Correspondence: v.patriarkh@donnu.edu.ua

Article.

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