DISCURSIVE REPRESENTATION OF CHARACTERS IN DRAMATIC TEXTS

Abstract

Background. Structuring problem of dramatic text, function of the list of actors in compositional and semantic organization of play is important for the interpretation of drama. Penetration into deep semantic text connections between analysed structural component and the text itself gives an opportunity to understand deeper aesthetic concept to the  readers and to the producers, actors, screenwriters as well.

Purpose. Aim of the article is in multilateral analysys of ways of presentation of characters, that involves studying of their informativeness, correlation with general problematic of drama: classification of the lists of the characters, justification of function “ global connection” of the list of actors in compositional structure of the dramatic text.

Methods. As dominant methods of the research are chosen descriptional and functional ones. Using of genre-discursive, cognitive & psycholinguistic aspects of analysys led to the application of conceptological, narrative, discursive analysys.

       Material for research were dramas of modern Ukrainian playwrights of the end of XX – the beginning of the XXI centures.

Results. Key function of the presentation of the characters is peculiar introduction to the art discursive space of drama.

 In structural aspect the list of the characters is an element of global connection of the text, which combines thematically & conceptually its parts. Informativeness of the presentation of the characters corresponds with the problematic of drama.

Thus it was found out that generalized presentations of the characters were presented mostly by the generalized anthroponym, pronoun or anthroponym with the name, which does not give further characteristics of the personality, except gender one. The content of the work  with generalised presentations has philosophical direction, they present destinies of personalities without age, professional or any other concrete definitions.

       Social presentations of the characters have introduction to the  definite,  professional, family, or other kind of reproducible discourse, where information about age, social status, family relations between the participants of the events gains another sense (semantics). Among the characters are presented artists, scientists, professors and teachers, priests and philosophers, doctors and art critics, businessmen and managers, military men and lawyers, representatives of Media and SBU workers, policeman and prostitutes etc.

Personality presentations of the characters appeal to the future characters as to the characters with their specific traits of character, convictions, habits, determining psychological direction of the drama.

Discussion. The list of the characters is important structural-compositional and semantic component of the drama. Its informativeness  and way of presentation corresponds to the general content of the drama. Comprehending of it helps to understand  drama  much more deeper from the point of view of the reader and from the point of view of the play directors as well.

Keywords.    drama, list of characters, cohesion of the text, generalised presentations, social presentations, personality presentations.