Gorlach M. Concept of "the Other" in Doris Lessing's Novels

The thesis is the first Ukrainian literary studies systematic research of an English writer, Nobel Prize winner in 2007 Doris Lessing's (1919-) works with special interest to literary interpretation of philosophical concept of "the Other" and its implementation in literary works by D. Lessing. Employing the methodology based on anthropological philosophy of M. Buber, J. Lacan, E. Levinas, P. Ricoeur, J.-P. Sartre, M. Foucault, feminist criticism of S. de Beauvoir, L. Irigaray, J. Kristeva and G. Ch. Spivak, postcolonial theory of E. Said and multicultural theory of H. K. Bhabha, the thesis deals with characteristic features of D. Lessing's artistic world as well as peculiarities of author's presentation of "the Other" as a fictional image. Depiction of utopian female society in "The Cleft" represents conceptual climax of author's gender understanding. D. Lessing sees a woman as a tender, caring but weak human being because of man's power and will for life. In novels by D. Lessing men-characters tend to be quite primitive and are usually depicted rather schematically while the author goes into deep investigation of women's soul and mind. Anthropological aspect of author's novels "The Fifth Child" and "Ben, in the World" let us characterize these texts as intellectual fiction. D. Lessing ideas of contemporary anti-humanist civilization, its prehistoric past and its potentially pessimistic future. With the help of an archaeological-literary experiment the writer creates a fictional character that represents an absolute "Other" and is defined as anthropological "Other", an absolutely alienated personality that cannot become a part of any existing society. Comprehensive approach to the study of writer's oeuvre proves that during all the periods of her literary career D. Lessing turns to the concept of "the Other" and claims that otherness and alienation are the key features of contemporary person's self-reflection no matter the gender or nationality.