Lubok story about Cavalry Maiden by Kukel

The object of the research is a popular fiction about N.A. Durova, which has served as the basis for more than 15 works of fiction since the 1870s. This gives reason to talk about a relatively stable plot about a cavalry girl. The subject of the study is a little-known short story by Kukel (V.A. Lunin's literary pseudonym) "The Cavalry Girl" (1898). The article outlines the specifics of the works of fiction: the design features and the secondary nature of the plots used. The lubochnik writers used spiritual literature, folklore, and works of art as plot sources. The purpose of this article is to determine which elements of the "Durov" plot are reproduced by the author, how he interprets the plot, and how this work fits into a number of other texts dedicated to Durova. The research methodology is related to the use of the descriptive method, the cultural-historical method, as well as intertextual analysis. The main conclusions of the study are as follows: Lunin uses key episodes of Durova's story, however, not only changes the essence of the plot, but also compiles elements of different plots; the author rethinks the key themes of patriotism and emancipation for the original source (Durova's notes), making patriarchal family values the basis of the action movement; the work balances reality and fabulousness: against the background of although and from a conventional but easily recognizable historical context (the war of 1812), a completely fabulous story about an orphan rescuing a groom develops.; The method of adapting the original plot used by the author is a remake. Thus, Lunin's work is a remake of the plot about Durova, simplified to the reader's level and focused on the idea of an active heroine.

Nadezhda Durova, cavalry girl, lubok literature, mass literature, Kukel, Viktor Lunin, remake, belles-lettres, stable plot, active heroine