БЫТОВАНИЕ КАТЕГОРИИ НЕВЫРАЗИМОГО В РОМАНАХ С ЭКФРАСИСОМ

Introduction

Inexpressible as the functional and semantic category is an independent meaning in language and the speech; the language units representing this category are presented at the different levels of language, for example: inexpressible, not said, to express inexpressible, there are no words and so on. For category of inexpressible the category of denial as it – "the category having own formal means of expression – "a negative formant" (a particle not and its grammatical analogs) is basic" [3, p. 247].

Linguists have defined traditional spheres of representatives of inexpressible: the field of theology, philosophy, the sphere of so-called  bi-worldness (man or the character interior world, the other world), see [7], [4,5]. The features of language universality are peculiar to semantics of inexpressible. Considering the aforesaid, we have assumed that the category of inexpressible has to be anyway presented in the texts containing ecphrasis.

Literary critics define ecphrasis as the verbal description method of work of the fine arts in the text. In linguistics they speak about allusion (literally – a hint), allusions on the well-known picture are possible. Allusions correspond to a reminiscence (literally – a remembering), an element of literary system, based on a motive of earlier known works. The image of one work in another, the text in the text is investigated by the theory of intertextuality.

However the above-mentioned linguistic terms, and also the theory of  intertextuality are focused on other tasks, than studying verbal expression of visual artifacts in the text. Meanwhile this issue is resolved by the developing literary theory of ecphrasis. This theory has an independent conceptual framework, methodology and various classifications ecphrasis now that does convenient application of this theory in studying of specifics of the text with ecphrasis in linguistic aspect. In fiction the description of this or that picture is, as a rule, substantially loaded, description of a picture is a peculiar insert, some kind of plot in a plot.

The analysis of the Russian literature containing ecphrasis which is carried out by us regarding representation of category of inexpressible has revealed positive results. A peculiar confirmation told was the collection of scientific articles prepared in the wake of the Russia's first scientific conference devoted to ecphrasis with the name "It is inexpressibly expressible": ecphrasis and problems of representation of visual in the text". Researchers of ecphrasis have defined the sphere of inexpressible as Knowledge of God, interfaced the use of semantics of inexpressible with the use of apophatics. So, D. V. Tokarev has noticed that "ecphrasis as "bridge" between inexpressible and expressible; to pass on him, and diversely, conferees tried" [9; 22].

The purpose of the research is to characterize the category of inexpressible in the foreign novels containing picturesque ecphrasis (the description of a picture). As material for research we have selected four novels in which the description of a picture plays a plot forming role. These are O. Wilde's novels "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1890, England); A. Perez-Reverto "A Flemish board" (1990, Spain); J. Moyes "The girlfriend whom you had dumped" (2012, England), D. Tartt "The Goldfinch" (2013, the USA).

As the analysis has shown, these works contain the examples of category of inexpressible. In general, the representatives of inexpressible in the novels containing ecphrasis isn't so frequent as in poetic texts of romantics, however they are placed mainly in obligatory scenes. The representatives of inexpressible don’t always present in the scenes which are actually containing ecphrasis, however where they contain, semantics of inexpressible touches the problems which deal with the meaning of life, purpose of art, fear of death that organize a semantic link to ecphrasis in the novel. See examples from O. Wilde:

 [Dorian's characteristic whose age is reflected not on the face but on the portrait] (…) and for most people his frank good nature and affability is charming, almost childish smile of unspeakable charm its beautiful unfading youth were a sufficient refutation erected on it slander so these people called the rumors going about Dorian;

In fact, it was music that had first brought him and Dorian Gray together—music and that indefinable attraction that Dorian seemed to be able to exercise whenever he wished - and, indeed, exercised often without being conscious of it. 

The analysis of the texts containing ecphrasis has shown that the category of inexpressible is reflected in many novels by a representative intimate which is rare for semantics of inexpressible. One of the meanings of this word – "stored at heart, not stated, treasured" (The dictionary of the Russian language, v. 3: 188) – this value also staticizes semantics of inexpressible. See the example of judgment "by contradiction":

For me beauty – a miracle from miracles. (…) Only futile, narrow persons don't judge by appearance. The original secret of life is concluded in visible, but not in intimate … So the character whose name is Henry, the analog of Goethe’s Mephistopheles, Dorian's tempter claims.

Intimate – the rare example of the category of inexpressible – is presented in novels with ecphrasis both as quality and mass literature, see examples from mass literature:

 [The restorer Julia is clearing the ancient picture] Little by little, in process of disappearance of the grown old varnish, the Flemish board has begun to find magic of the initial paints again (…) The miracle revived under Julia's fingers, and she beheld this process with respectful respect as though on her eyes the most intimate secret of art and life was gradually revealed (A. Perez-Revert. Flemish board).

Compare also:

From a cloth in the peeled-off gilded frame the young girl provocatively looked at it. A thick golden and red hair was scattered on shoulders, the pride bend of the lips opened in a hint on a smile obviously spoke about something intimate. About something sensual (J. Moyes. The girl you left behind).

In general, semantics of inexpressible presented in the novels of mass literature containing ecphrasis is single.

As our previous researches have shown the cluster existing is peculiar to semantics of inexpressible in the description of figures that is as a part of similar meanings of semantics of hidden, incomprehensible. The meanings of inexpressible, incomprehensible, hidden, possessing the general origin, being based on a grammatical basis of category of denial, possess similar means of expression, are quite often presented in texts as the synonyms specifying the different parts of "bi-worldness" [5, p. 963-966], [4, p.19-21], for example:

 [Dorian's dreams] Perhaps, his life will include big love and will clear it, and will keep of the new sins which are born in the soul and a body – that unknown, sins still described by nobody to which mystery gives them an artful charm.

Semantics of inexpressible is presented in one text segment with the example of semantics of the unknown. The representative described by nobody increases mystery of the text. As O. Wilde noticed in the letter to the editor of Scots Observer (1890): “Each man sees his own sin in Dorian Gray - what Dorian Gray’s sins are no one knows.  He who finds them has brought them.” (O. Wilde http://oscar-wilde.ru/pisma/pismo83.html).

Compare the example with semantics of incomprehensible in ecphrasis:

Was there some subtle affinity between the chemical atoms that shaped themselves intoform and colour on the canvas and the soul that was within him?

• "Then why won't you exhibit his portrait?"(…)
• "Because I have loved so many of them, Dorian."

Example with semantics of hidden in ecphrasis:

[Recognition of the artist Basil about a picture and creativity to Dorian] And even if you weren't near, you invisibly were present at my imagination when I created.

New manner in painting (…) The soul of the nature living in the dense woods, wandering in a clean field, until then hidden and silent, suddenly, as the Dryad, appeared to the artist without any fear (…).

Inexpressible is presented in turning points of a plot or in a didactic component in the novel of serious literature of D. Tartt:

[The life of the main character has changed after the difficulties connected with the destiny of the well-known picture "Goldfinch"] And besides there is a lot more everything. Shock and light. In total far more sharply, far more brightly, and I as if closely would approach to something inexpressible. In magazines onboard – the coded messages. Power board … In total – index signs which specify somewhere else.

Example of a combination of semantics of incomprehensible, with semantics of inexpressible:

(…) any Disney's princess knows the answer to it: "Be yourself. Follow what the heart dictates ". Only, please, explain to me here that. And what if you have such heart which can't be trusted?. What if the heart for any incomprehensible reasons brings you – quite deliberately, in a cloud of inexpressible shine – far away from health, family life (…) in dazzling heat of death, self-damage, trouble?

See the example of a cluster existing of semantics of inexpressible and incomprehensible, and representative of semantics of incomprehensible – occasional:

[Reflections about the picture "Goldfinch"] And I hope that in it some highest truth about sufferings is hidden, at least, in my understanding – though I have understood long ago that only that truth which I don't understand are important for me and I won't be able to understand. All mysterious, ambiguous, inexplicable.

In general, the existing of representative of inexpressible in a combination to the adjacent language phenomena is a characteristic of foreign novels in which ecphrasis carries out plot-forming function. Besides above-named, the category of inexpressible is combined with semantics of default. On the periphery semantic fields of default and inexpressible are crossed as they possess the general component "lack of verbalization" meaning, see  [1]. See the example from D. Tartt's novel in which it is shown how the addiction of the character to drugs isn't called (is held back):

 (…) slipped – in increasing frequency – an ominous type of the tables and calculations, I for some reason thought that if someone opens a notebook and  sees them, then will understand nothing though in practice everything was transparent:

1-8 Dec. 320,5 mg

9-15 Dec. 202,5 mg

16-22 Dec. 171,5 mg

23-30 Dec. 420,5 mg

… creeps away on daily records, appears above all the secret seen only to me: blossoms in the dark, never being called by the name.

In D. Tartt's novel ecphrasis is the verbal description of a picture – has conceptual value, the purpose of a small masterpiece of Fabritius "Goldfinch" in the novel is to become a light source which will light life, and also problems and troubles of the described characters. Ecphrasis, according to the remark of D. N. Tokarev, is the bridge between two worlds, real and spiritual. Two worlds don't coexist, but are in difficult relationship which is possible for transferring only by a series of denials (by means of literary apophatism). All representatives of adjacent semantics of inexpressible, incomprehensible, hidden are that, in fact, (there are no words, it is impossible to express, express inexpressible, to comprehend incomprehensible, etc.). It is natural that semantics of inexpressible, incomprehensible, hidden among means contain intertextual oxymorons to express inexpressible, to comprehend incomprehensible, to behold hidden and so forth.

Oxymoron as speech method paralogous as it is based on violation of the logical law of non contradiction. According to this law, the judgment and its denial can't be at the same time true in relation to the same object [2, p. 7-8]. The category of inexpressible is also paralogous; its representatives are paralogous, e.g.: There are no words as I love you! But such statement is also words! In ecphrasis by means of the oxymoron in the novel of D. Tartt the anti-nomic relations of reality and thought reveal:

[About a goldfinch in a picture] He is there, in the air washed by light, in brush dabs which Fabritius has allowed us to see close that we have considered, what it is actually – the flashes of color worked manually that it was visible how brush bristle lays down (…), turn to transubstantiation when paint, remaining paint, becomes suddenly both a feather, and a bone. This is that place where the reality clashes with an ideal where the joke becomes gravity, and all serious – a joke. A magic point in which both any idea, and its contrast is right. 

I stood and watched how he looked at the picture. On his face it has been written such suffering that it was impossible to express in words.

Summing up the results of research, we will notice that the analysis of four works is insufficient to speak about the revealed regularity, however it is possible to speak about the revealed tendency. Semantics of inexpressible possesses lines of language universality. Representatives of the category of inexpressible are presented in the novels of mass of literature containing ecphrasis is single, are transferred by means of the rare mean – intimate. In the novels of quality literature containing ecphrasis semantics of inexpressible is applied in the scenes containing important questions of human life, life and death, purpose of art; representatives of inexpressible are low-frequent, but are presented in key scenes of the novel. Inexpressible is often presented in such novels by a cluster in total with semantics of incomprehensible, hidden. The category of inexpressible is crossed with adjacent semantics, in particular, with semantics of default.