Ecclesiastes‘ voice. To the problem of communicative structures in lyrics

Abstract

The paper discusses the interaction between the lyrical subject and the author in the context of the communicative theory of lyrics, using the poetry of the famous Ukrainian postmodern poet Yuriy Izdryk as the example. The question of defining the speaker (“voice” of poetry) and separating it from the real figure of the author still remains unresolved. The subject of this study is the forms of expression of the lyrical subject in the artistic plane. The aim of the study is to distinguish the lyrical subject in the poetry of Yuriy Izdryk, to understand its specific features and functioning in the poetic text. In the course of our work, we used the methods of hermeneutical interpretation, receptive aesthetics and general analysis.

In the study, we characterize the peculiarities of expressing the lyrical subject in the lyrical text “Ecclesiastes 2.0” by Yuriy Izdryk. Thus, based on the study of communicative structures in the lyrics by D. Burdorf, it was found that the lyrical subject is represented by the pronoun “we” (in various forms), which belongs to the category of open “we”, which can include the lyrical subject himself, as well as other participants in communication. Based on the context of the work, where the reader is immersed in reflections on human relationships, “we” can mean the “I” of anyone who will deal with the text. The actual “I” appears at the end of the work, and it is in this part that the style changes: the lyrical subject moves from general reflections into the plane of a personified and intimate address. Based on the internal logic of the text, this “I” can be characterized as the “I” of a conscious, mature person with a lot of life experience, small ambitions and lack of egocentrism. Given the concept of the fictional nature of the poetic text, the “I” and its address to the “you” in the text are artistic imitation. From this perspective, the addressee “you” does not refer to a real person, and “I” is an artistic principle for building this communication. From the perspective of the reader, the text offers a wide field for interpretation. Reflections make it possible to compare the recipient’s experience with the concepts proposed in the text and, at the same time, to try on the role of the other, thanks to the personalized address.

The novelty of the study is the consideration of the lyrical subject in terms of communication strategies. The results open up future possibilities of talking about the lyrical subject in the context of other poetic works of the author. Also, the results can be applied in a comparative aspect by comparing the lyrical subjects in the works of other prominent postmodern poets. This will allow us to identify specific features of the lyrical subject of Ukrainian postmodernism in general.