Morozova L. Writer's epistles in the system of literary genres

Thesis is devoted to the analysis of the epistle functioning as an everyday occurrence genetically related to the epistolary form as a phenomenon of belles-lettres. On the basis of M.Bakhtin's theory of genres the author substantiates the leading role of the addressee's conception in the act of forming of its genre dominants and of making its structure; singles out the peculiar features of writer's epistles in comparison with works by other correspondents. By way of diachronic investigation of the epistle the author defines the stages of constitution and development of the genre, traces the dynamics of its genre dominants and structural-stylistic peculiarities. On the material of epistles by German writers (Thomas and Henry Mann, R.M. Rilke, S. Zweig, F. Schiller, J.W. Goethe) the typology of writer's epistles is presented in accordance with its essential features, along with the analysis of its genre modifications and their peculiarities. On the basis of M. Leiderman's model for genre and the conceptof generic-genre dominant (M.Girshman) "epistolary form" is given a more precise definition; specificity of literary works with "epistolary form" insertions is investigated. Different types of "epistolary form" with regard to their potential for compositional structuring of literary works are illustrated by the examples of German fiction. The concept of the theoretical life of genres of epistolary literature is reconstructed through tracing the stages in its evolution.