DIMENSIÓN ESTABILIDAD INESTABILIDAD EMOCIONAL

One of the most important elements in the work of Aleksandr Grin is the positive figure with a set of features characteristic of the legendary virtuous knight.61 Following the analysis in section 3.1.7 I argue that the construction of this type of character is based on the same principle and leads to the creation of a sui generis hero – it seems that Grin’s

long-range goal is to create not a single individual in one work but a complex and multi- faceted portrait of the ideal knight.

The chivalric hero can be found in a number of works which span almost the entire creative life of the author. Some of the titles include: Zolotaia tsepƍ, ‘Vozvrashchenie

“Chaiki”’, ‘Pozornyi stolb’ , ‘Proliv burƍ’, ‘Iva’, ‘Dacha Bolƍshogo Ozera’, ‘Prodavets shchastƍia’, ‘Sto verst po reke’, ‘Zmeia’, ‘Okhota na khuligana’, ‘Iashchik s mylom’, ‘Medvezhƍia okhota’, ‘Malenƍkii zagovor’, ‘Korabli v Lisse’, ‘Krysolov’, ‘Slovookhotlivyi domovoi’, ‘Sozdanie Aspera’, ‘Ruka’, ‘Koloniia Lanfier’, ‘Ostrov Reno’.

As in other works, so also in the chivalric group Grin draws a strong contrast between strength and weakness, bravery and cowardice, wealth and poverty, honesty and dishonesty, sincerity and intrigue, love and hate, and finally hope and despair. Strong juxtapositions of this kind, as Ruff (1980:109) has emphasised, are common within the chivalric literary tradition. We find there many impeccably brave heroes who become patterns for others to imitate. They often fight against villains who, lacking chivalric principles, can be seen as the knights’ diametric opposites.

The work most important and abundant in chivalric motifs is undoubtedly the novel Doroga nikuda, which provides the best example of a coherent presentation of Grin’s chivalric morality in a single work. Since I refer to this novel throughout the section, I shall begin my analysis by recounting it here briefly for further reference.

61 _{For more on European chivalry, its tradition and codes of conduct see Gautier (1965), Barber (1974), Ruff}

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Doroga nikuda tells the adventurous story of a sensitive young romantic, Davenant. After his mother was abandoned by his father and then died, Davenant is fortunate enough to be supported on many occasions by a number of positive characters (e.g. the restaurant owner Kishlot, the rich man Futroz, the eccentric dreamer Galeran). Although it looks as if he is going to enter upon a good career – he is invited into the house of the rich Futroz and his daughters – the unexpected appearance of his father, a repulsive drunkard, leads to the collapse of Davenant’s dreams. When he tries to escape the disastrous influence of his father, his links with the Futroz family are lost and he leaves the city for many years. When the plot resumes, Davenant has become the successful owner of a tavern and changed his name to James Gravelot. However, bad luck strikes him once again. Through a cunning trick of the villain Van Konet, he becomes involved in smuggling, and is condemned to death. Although his friends arrange a jailbreak, this turns out to be futile and Davenant dies of severe injury – albeit in the company of his friends.

It should be noted that both Doroga nikuda and all the other abovementioned works of the Grinian chivalric canon contain almost no overt philosophical descriptions. This accords with one of the essential principles of existentialism – namely, that deeds alone speak of morality and that theoretical digressions are to be avoided. Secondly, it is reasonable to claim that Grin creates chivalric heroes by applying the existential principle of the primacy of existence over essence.62

This interpretation is based on the assumption that the Grinian chivalric ethos not only influences the hero’s morality, but also determines it entirely. The Knight is endowed with free will and acts according to the dictates of a certain mode of chivalric ethos. In the context of Grin’s work the latter provides a constant frame of reference, a set of features which characterise the moral preferences of the hero and manifest themselves in his deeds and way of living. That is to say, the person projects his philosophy through his action.

The Knight acts as he does regardless of possible reward and punishment. Thus, the morality of the Grinian chivalric ethos is independent of various common factors like religion, patriotism, tradition and social convention. The first three elements scarcely appear in Grin’s oeuvre at all, so, although the Knight may not deny them as such, it seems they have no impact on his deeds. Society is never regarded as being the locus of truth, but as a mediocre entity in the spiritual sense and something that hinders the moral

62 _{The key existential idea of reversing the traditional order (i.e.: essence preceding existence) occupied a}

significant place in Kierkegaard’s philosophy and was developed further by Sartre. The relation between existence and essence in existentialism has been discussed by Herman (2001:5).

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development of the hero. Once again, such a phenomenon implies a way of thinking entirely congruent with existentialism.

In the process of creating his chivalric figures Grin applied the postulate of authenticity. As was described in the section on existentialism, authenticity may be regarded as the pillar of existential morality.63 It is strongly manifested also in the Knight’s constant readiness to represent a certain moral set of views and principles – the ethos. He consciously undertakes risks associated with actions which are dictated by his independent decision to follow his chosen moral path.

The sources of the Grinian Knight are to be sought in a character found early in Grin’s work (‘Koloniia Lanfier’), that of the lonely individualist Gorn who is deeply disappointed with the world of other people. Reclusive and individualistic tendencies are displayed by the majority of Grin’s characters, so it comes as no surprise to discover that the Knight is also a dissenter who avoids people and seeks his own way of life. Even so, such a character shows a much greater interest in other people than do any of the misanthropic individuals to be found elsewhere in Grin’s early works.

With regard to the innate human desire for happiness, we should note that, regardless of their individual features and the different circumstances in which they are caught up, the knights in Grin’s work always share the watchword of the hyper- individualist Tart in ‘Ostrov Reno’. Every knight, even at the peak of dramatic conflict, would silently agree with the former’s opinion that ‘Ɇɨɠɟɬ ɛɵɬɶ, ɧɟ ɞɨɥɶɲɟ ɤɚɤ ɡɚɜɬɪɚ ɫɭɞɶɛɚ ɨɬɧɢɦɟɬ ɜɫɟ ɜɵɢɝɪɚɧɧɨɟ ɫɟɝɨɞɧɹ, ɧɨ ɜɟɞɶ ɷɬɨɝɨ ɟɳɟ ɧɟɬ’ (1.I:269). This is at the opposite extreme of bourgeois morality which, in general, is aimed at accumulating money and securing material belongings, as well as at achieving high social status.

Apart from elements of existentialism and romantic individualism, no less significant a factor in the make-up of the Grinian chivalric hero is his strong propensity for altruism. The essential primacy of altruistic morality over hedonism (or egoism) is revealed many times in the ‘chivalric’ works. In ‘Bochka presnoi vody’, for example, a group of sailors is sent away from a becalmed ship to search out drinking water for the entire crew. When the sailors arrive at a small island, they suddenly discover gold in a stream. Mindful of their mission to save their fellow-sailors, however, they decide to abandon any selfish plans for personal enrichment and leave the island bearing only the water with them. Altruism is, indeed, the basis of the chivalric ethos in Grin’s view.

63 _{C.f. the Knight in Kierkegaard’s existential philosophy, where the chivalric figure embodies the highest}

moral order.

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The author’s concern for the condition of others is particularly persuasive in the chivalric works. Grin’s heroes display great sensitivity for other people’s suffering together with a constant readiness to offer whatever help they can. Although the zenith of altruism will be reached only in the figure of the Promethean hero (to be scrutinised in the final section), the chivalric attitude also reveals convincing attempts to resist evil and an attitude of disinterestedness irrespective of the cost incurred.

I argue that one of the reasons for a total re-evaluation and the search for a perfect personification of moral values was Grin’s desire to embody in his work the morally truthful life. Mikhailova writes that in 1909-10 the writer was tormented by the ‘ɫɬɪɚɫɬɧɨɟ ɠɟɥɚɧɢɟ ɜɵɡɞɨɪɨɜɟɬɶ ɢ ɠɢɬɶ ɢɧɚɱɟ’ (Mikhailova 1980:90). His earliest chivalric work is ‘Slon i Mosƍka’ written as early as 1906. At this relatively early stage, Grin embarks on a quest of spiritual self-development, although he will be haunted by recurrent pessimism which will continue to have a significant impact on his philosophy until the end of his life.

The aim of this section is to present the most important features of the Knight-figure and to present them as the embodiment of moral views which Grin considered impossible to convey through direct philosophical descriptions of morality. Instead, Grin tried to persuade the reader of the validity of his moral views by showing the noble features of the Knight in action, by testing them in real situations, as it were.

This selection does not exhaust the chivalric topic, but for the purpose of this analysis I will focus on the most characteristic elements of Grin’s vision of the chivalric ethos.