Remake jako forma dialogu z klasyką (inspiracje „Szynelem” Mikołaja Gogola w wybranej literaturze rosyjskiej XX i XXI w.)

Abstract

Remake as a Form of the Dialogue with the Classics (Nikolai Gogol’s ‘The Overcoat' as an Inspiration in Russian Literature in the End of the 20th Century and the Beginning of the 21st Century)

The article is devoted to the very recent phenomenon in contemporary Russian literature – to a remake. The subject of this research is the literary ‘dialogue’ between classical short story (The Overcoat by Nikolay Gogol) and Russian literary works in the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. In scope, there is a micro-novel of Vladimir Voinovich The Fur Hat, then Dmitry Gorchev’s novel The Phone and Vladimir Shinkariev’s work The Flat, as well as Bashmachkin – a drama written by Oleg Bogaev. The interest that contemporary authors demonstrate in Gogol’s work is a result of the problems described which still appear to be current. This is also an attempt to make Russian classics contemporary and reinterpret the 20th century novel simultaneously. The methods of bringing ‘Gogol’s text’ up to date in the above-mentioned works present the wide range of possibilities that remake gives. Voinovich put social and political principles of Soviet state in the first place. The Table of Ranks together with its submission of an individual towards the state has been deeply analyzed. In Gorchev’s and Shinkariev’s stories contemporary Bashmachkins – ‘little men’, eager to fulfill their dreams about better life – are presented. What is more, those texts show a very interesting picture of Russian reality in the beginning of 21st century ruled by lawlessness, corruption and money. The most original approach to Gogol’s work was presented by Bogaev in Bashmachkin’s story continuation. However, the main character is the overcoat who is administering justice on behalf of a dying hero. The remake-sequel is not only a modernized version of Gogol’s plot but also a new text growing up from a postmodern game. A proposed analysis of the above-mentioned Russian remakes presents many different ways a classic literature text can be modernized thanks to this kind of adaptation. However, on the ground of Russian literature, a remake is above all a pursuit of a dialogue with the classics, an attempt to modernize the problematic aspects and emphasize timeless contents.