Artistic Perception of Leo Tolstoy’s Conception in V. P. Aksyonov’s Trilogy Generations of Winter: On the Question of the Individual in History

This article investigates V. P. Aksyonov’s argument with L. N. Tolstoy about the role of personality in history his trilogy Generations Winter. The saga protagonists’ spiritual awakening and self-identification are discussed context Tolstoy’s view on activity general mass people who take part a historical event determine its outcome. allows to elicit man’s personal responsibility under Stalinism. main sources this paper War Peace Its purpose is explain artistic conceptualization masses individual Stalinist regime Great Patriotic War. major results research have been achieved by comparing devices employed fracturing myth Napoleon’s genius as leader approach satirical portrayal Stalin. explores contribution literary tradition grotesque, utilization functions body “bottom” Russian popular demonic motifs depiction paper’s author utilizes comparative hermeneutical analysis concludes that metaphor “Stalinist hypnosis” writerly equivalent conception “swarm behavior”, negation postmodern playful ironic device, means for revision Leo philosophic-historical twentieth century.