The Person and the Poet in History in B.Pasternak's Novel "Doctor Zhivago"

Abstract This master thesis is dedicated to the novel “Doctor Zhivago” by B.L. Pasternak. The novel became the “resume” of the writer's preceding work. Thus, the key to understanding Pasternak's philosophical and esthetical concepts is the character of Yuri Zhivago, the author’s alter ego, a philosopher, musician and poet. Pasternak’s diverse faces defined the particular genre of the novel, counterpoint and intertextuality of the work. This baseline of the research set up its structure and objectives: discover peculiar artistic features in “Doctor Zhivago”, its philosophy and poetics, through the prism of the author and the protagonist; reveal the poet’s image in the context of time; liaise Pasternak’s philosophical views with his artistic methods. To meet these objectives, the research provides cultural and historical background of the period, shows the writer’s “above-the-fray” position, which defined the epic composition, the protagonist choice and plotting. The work reveals the role of the Artist – critical re-evaluation of history, transformation of the world in a real, historical context as well as symbolically (by appealing to evangelical texts). The thesis proves the proposed hypothesis: “Immortality and reconstruction of history … is inseparable from poetry writing”, freedom of mind and spirit. The world mystery is slightly open to the poet through the lyrical insight, presented in the novel in the forms of love, art and knowledge. The work shows how by coming in touch with the world the Artist is approaching the essence of being and is reaching eternal life in the Word through poetic revelation.