Artistic text as a polycode phenomenon

Doklady Bashkirskogo Universiteta. 2023. Volume 8. No. 1. pp. 75-83.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33184/dokbsu-2023.1.10

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The polycode character of a literary text is determined by the fact that information is transmitted using various means of a verbal and non-verbal nature. This is a text consisting of codes of various semiotic systems. They interact closely at the content, compositional and linguistic levels. The unity of verbal and iconic elements forms a syncretic text. Verbal and nonverbal components in the structure of a literary text immerse the reader in a multifunctional space that forms his cultural, social and linguistic competencies. Accordingly, the main features in the construction of a modern literary text are not only such categories as intertextuality, functionality, but also polycode. The latter allows the writer not only to describe the world around him, but also to model it in his text. In this individual model of reality, with many categories, polycode becomes the subject of extensive research, which once again confirms the opinion of Yu. M. Lotman about the text as a complex semiotic system. The novels of the classics of French literature by J. Verne’s “Voyage au centre de la terre” and R. Rolland’s “Colas Breungon” contain pictorial systems of particular interest to the researcher. Linguistic and iconic means create a single semantic and emotional space, thereby opening the possibility for its enrichment with new additional meanings. The texts of the novels contain a significant number of illustrations reflecting the content of the work. They depict the key points of the text, determine its external organization, enhancing the impact of the nonverbal component on the content. Drawings perform informative, attractive, expressive and aesthetic functions. The author’s position is expressed not only at the verbal level, but also receives a special visual expressiveness. The illustrative series is presented in black and white. Their number plays an important role. They realize not only a decorative and design function, but also serve as an additional means of actualizing subjective modality. The illustrations repeat the plot, creatively rework it to enhance the impression. Under each drawing there is a sentence from the text indicating the page. All illustrations are connected with the plot, show the author’s idea as accurately as possible and enhance his pragmatic potential.