‘At sea, at night’ and ‘Mitya’s love’ as case studies in Ivan Bunin’s post-revolutionary use of subtext

Abstract

Bunin’s undoubted innovation and contribution to the development of the literature of the 20th century is now regarded as a consequence of his creation of new artistic forms, extension of the philosophic intentions of prose, stimulating the modification of the short story and novel, the creation of an original aesthetic programme, tightly connected with his philosophical conception of the world. Thoughtful interpretations of love and death, and the creation of a new type of female character, are other artistic innovations of the writer. A special, condensed form of narrative (in the writer's own words), an intricate and peculiar style, in particular bi-plane narrative, are definitive Bunin’s merits which influenced the further development of literature. Subtext conveys not only the internal drama of reflection, but also a tragic conflict between man and the world, ideal and reality, as well as the impossibility of comprehending the complexity of the universe. An example of such a use of subtext can be seen in "V Nochnom More" (At Sea, at Night) and "Mitina Liubov" (Mitya’s Love).