The late Soviet apocalyptic novel as a variant of the “novel-myth” in Soviet literature of the 1980s: Revisiting the problem

Abstract

This article explores the genre specifics of the “late Soviet apocalyptic novel” as a variant of the “myth-novel” that emerged in Soviet literature in the second half of the 20th century. The article analyzes the genesis of this phenomenon within the context of late Soviet culture, interpreted as a transitional culture characterized by a growing eschatological sentiment and a keen sense of the former worldview crisis. It focuses on the fundamental transformation of the traditional mechanism of mythologization within this genre and demonstrates that while the classical myth-novel extracts “eternal meanings” from archetypes to harmonize reality, in the “late Soviet apocalyptic novel”, myth serves to manifest total discord and ontologically consolidates the crisis. We note the orientation of this version of the novel toward the genre structure of the Apocalypse, which is expressed in the construction of a conflict around key binary oppositions (Chaos vs. Space, Nature vs. Man, Old vs. New) and the actualization of the final battle motif between the forces of Light and Darkness. Special attention is given to the evolution of biblical images, particularly the image of Christ, in the texts of Chingiz Aitmatov (“The Place of the Skull”) and the Strugatsky brothers (“Overburdened with Evil”). We argue that in the apocalyptic novel, the emphasis shifts from its salvific, redemptive function to its tragic and defeatist side, marking a profound crisis of humanistic ideals and the metaphysical idea of salvation in the late Soviet era.