Representation of short <i>happiness</i> in tragic life through nomaination and predication means in N. S. Leskov’s novella «Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk district»
The study of nomination and predication means in the language of fiction remains a topical research area that enriches the knowledge of Linguistics (more broadly, Philology) on the peculiarities of idiolects and idiostyles as well as the distinguishing features of creative thinking that generates images of specific literary works. The objective of the current research is to consider the means of nomination and predication used by N. S. Leskov in the «Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District» to represent the concept of «Happiness» allowing the author to portray the tragic life and reveal the essence of the main character Katerina Izmailova’s image, deemed significant in the above respect. The nomination and predication means of the text have not been previously addressed in terms of semantic-stylistic and conceptual approach. Based on methods of observation and targeted sampling, lexical units with the semantics of ‘feeling’ are identified and analyzed. Such units play an important stylistic role in the description of characters and their actions conveying the author’s assessment (including the implicit one) and serving means of representation of the «Happiness» concept significant for the ideological and artistic planes of the novella. It is established that the main means of nomination in the text are nouns, with the help of which N. S. Leskov recreates the atmosphere of merchant life and customs which determines the chain of tragic events in the life of Katerina Izmailova - from finding short happiness to meeting a terrible death. Lexemes with the semantics of ‘feeling’ (heart, feeling, love, etc. ) become most significant for character development. It is concluded that the choice of nomination and predication means thoroughly depends on the author’s message and approach to the solution of the aesthetic and pragmatic task seen in explaining that misfortune and tragedy are caused by the substitution of a creative sense of love with disastrous passions.