Vyacheslav Ivanov’s Concept of the “Zvukoobraz”

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22455/2541-8297-2024-34-138-165
EDN:

https://elibrary.ru/CVTPDQ
УДК / UDK: 821.161.1.0
Issue:

2024. no. 4 (34) 
Author: Konstantin Yu. Lappo-Danilevskii
About the author:

Konstantin Yu. Lappo-Danilevskii, PhD in Philology, Dr. Habil., Leading Research Fellow, Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Makarova Emb., 4, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7696-1102

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Abstract:

The work was carried out at IRL RAS with the financial support of the Russian Science Foundation, project no. №23-28-00514 “Viacheslav Ivanov's scholarly and pedagogical legacy (little-known articles and unpublished materials)” (https://rscf.ru/project/23-28-00514/).

I express my gratitude to T.F. Neshumova, G.V. Obatnin and I.A. Pilshchikov for their important notes.

The paper investigates the concept of the “zvukoobraz” (sound-image) in literary-philosophical articles and lectures on poetics by Vyacheslav Ivanov, specifically its origins, meaning, and context. This term is closely connected with the “Lautbild” of Wilhelm Wundt, translated in Russian as “zvukovoi obraz” by Tadeusz Zieliński in his widely known article about the German philosopher (1901). Viktor Shklovsky, one of the leading theorists of Russian Formalism, also wrote about “zvukovye obrazy” in his paper “About Poetry and Zaum Language” (1916). Vyacheslav Ivanov’s concept of “zvukoobraz” emerged as a result of his confrontation with the ideas of the Russian Formalists, which is reflected in his survey “On the Latest Theoretical Research in the Field of the Artistic Expression” (1920; printed 1922), in his course on poetics given at Baku university (1922; repeated in 1923–1924), in his paper “About the problem of the Sound Image in Pushkin’s Poetry” (1925; printed 1930). Andrei Bely’s observations on Pushkin’s “zvukoobrazy” made in his article “Aaron’s Rod (About the Word in Poetry)” (1917) were also important for Vyacheslav Ivanov. Aiming to oppose the arguments of the Formalists, Ivanov revived Potebnja’s psychological theory of language by introducing the concept of the “zvukoobraz” (sound-image), by which he meant fundamental sound combinations that were initially connected with particular images. According to him, the emergence of the “zvukoobraz” is the first and the most significant moment in creating the word and poetic works.
Keywords: poetics, literary symbolism, modernism, futurism, formalism, Aleksander Potebnja, Vyacheslav Ivanov, Andrei Bely, Viktor Shklovsky, Osip Brik.
For citation:

Lappo-Danilevskii, K.Yu. “Vyacheslav Ivanov’s Concept of the ʽZvukoobraz’.” Literaturnyi fakt, no. 4 (34), 2024, pp. 138–165. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2541-8297-2024-34-138-165
References:
  1. Galushkin, A.Iu., O.A. Korostelev, M.L. Spivak, A.V. Lavrov, and Dzh. Malmstad, editors. Andrei Belyi. Avtobiograficheskie svody: Material k biografii. Rakurs k dnevniku. Registratsionnye zapisi. Dnevniki 1930-kh godov [Andrei Bely. Autobiographical Summaries: Material for Biography. View of the Diary. Registration Records. Diaries from the 1930s]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 2016. 1120 p. (In Russ.)
  2. Belyi, A. “Zhezl Aarona (o slove v poezii)” [“Aaron’s Rod (About the Word in Poetry)”]. Skify [Scythians], coll. 1. [Petrograd, Skify Publ., 1917,] pp. 155–212. (In Russ.)
  3. Belyi, A. Zhezl Aarona. Raboty po teorii slova 1916–1927 gg. [Andrei Belyi. Aaron’s Rod. Works on the Theory of Word, 1916–1927], comp., prep., introd. article, textual references and comm. by E.V. Glukhova and D.O. Torshilov. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2018. 960 p. (In Russ.)
  4. Belyi, A. Masterstvo Gogolia [Gogol’s Mastery]. Moscow, Leningrad, Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo khudozhestvennoi literatury Publ., 1934. 355 p. (In Russ.)
  5. Belyi, A. “Mysl’ i iazyk (filosofiia iazyka A.A. Potebni” [“Thought and Language (Philosophy of Language by A.A. Potebnia)”]. Logos, book 2, 1910, pp. 244–246. (In Russ.)
  6. Belyi, A. “O ritme” [“About Rhythm”]. Gorn [Horn], book 5. Moscow, Izdanie Moskovskogo Proletkul’ta Publ., 1920, pp. 47–54. (In Russ.)
  7. Belyi, A. “O khudozhestvennoi proze” [“About Fiction”]. Gorn [Horn], book 2/3. Moscow, Izdanie Moskovskogo Proletkul’ta Publ., 1919, pp. 50–55. (In Russ.)
  8. Belyi, A. “Rets. na kn.: Vundt V. Estestvoznanie i psikhologiia / per. s nem. A.F., K.Sh. SPb., 1904” [“Book Review: Wundt V. Natural Science and Psychology, trans. from German by A.F. and K.Sh. St. Petersburg, 1904”]. Vesy, no. 1, 1905, pp. 63–65. (In Russ.)
  9. Belyi, A. Simvolizm. Kniga statei [Symbolism. Book of Articles]. Moscow, Musaget Publ., 1910. [4], III, [3], 633, [2] p. (In Russ.)
  10. Brik, M.O. “Zvukovye povtory (analiz zvukovoi sistemy stikha)” [“Sound Repetitions (Analysis of the Sound System of a Verse)”]. Poetika: sborniki po teorii poeticheskogo iazyka [Poetics: Collections on the Theory of Poetic Language], issue 3. Petrograd, 18-ia gosudarstvennaia tipografiia Publ., 1919, pp. 58–98. (In Russ.)
  11. Brik, O.M. “IMO — Iskusstvo molodykh” [“IMO — Art of the Young”]. Maiakovskomu: sbornik vospominanii i statei [To Mayakovskii: Collection of Memories and Articles]. Leningrad, Khudozhestvennaia literatura Publ., 1940, pp. 88–107. (In Russ.)
  12. Briusov, V.Ia. Kratkii kurs nauki o stikhe (lektsii, chitannye v studii stikhovedeniia v Moskve 1918 g. [A Brief Course on Prosody (Lectures Given at the Poetry Studio in Moscow, 1918)], part 1: Chastnaia metrika i ritmika russkogo iazyka (osnovy russkoi metriki) [Metrics and Rhythm of the Russian Language (Fundamentals of Russian Metrics)]. Moscow, Al’tsiona Publ., 1919. 131 p. (In Russ.)
  13. Briusov, V.Ia. Opyty po metrike i ritmike, po evfonii i sozvuchiiam, po strofike i formam (stikhi 1912–1918 g.) [Experiments on Metrics and Rhythm, on Euphony and Consonances, on Stanzas and Forms (Poems 1912–1918)], with author’s introd. article. Moscow, Gelikon Publ., 1918. 200 p. (In Russ.)
  14. Briusov, V.Ia. Osnovy stikhovedeniia [Basics of Verse Studies]. Moscow, Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo Publ., 1924. 139 p. (In Russ.)
  15. Vundt, V. Vvedenie v filosofiiu [Introduction to Philosophy], complete trans. from 2nd German ed. by G.A. Kotliar, ed. by prof. of Moscow University, count S.I. Trubetskoi. Moscow, Tovarishchestvo tipografii A.I. Mamontova Publ., 1902. XIV, [2], 338 p. (In Russ.)
  16. Vundt, V. Estestvoznanie i psihologiia [Natural Science and Psychology], trans. from German by A.F. and K.Sh. St. Petersburg, V.V. Bitner Publ., 1904. 96 p. (In Russ.)
  17. Vundt, V. Lektsii o dushe cheloveka i zhivotnykh [Lectures on the Soul of Human and Animals]. St. Petersburg, K.L. Rikker Publ., 1894. 465 p. (In Russ.)
  18. Vundt, V. Sistema filosofii [System of Philosophy]. St. Petersburg, L.F. Panteleev Publ., 1902. VIII, 436 p. (In Russ.)
  19. Gershenzon, M.O. Videnie poeta [The Poet’s Vision]. Moscow, 2-ia tipolitografiia Moskovskogo gorodskogo soveta narodnogo khoziaistva Publ., 1919. 80 p. (In Russ.)
  20. Glukhova, E.V. “Viach. Ivanov, N. Berdiaev i drugie na zasedaniiakh Pushkinskogo seminariia v 1920 g: konspekty I.A. Kashkina” [“Vyach. Ivanov, N. Berdyaev and Others at the Meetings of the Pushkin Seminary in 1920: I.A. Kashkin’s Notes”]. Viacheslav Ivanov. Materialy i issledovaniia [Vyacheslav Ivanov. Materials and Research], issue 4. Moscow, Vodolei Publ., 2024. (In print) (In Russ.)
  21. Zelinskii, F.F. “Vil’gel’m Vundt i psikhologiia iazyka” [“Wilhelm Wundt and the Psychology of Language”]. Voprosy filosofii i psihologii, book 61, 1901, pp. 533–567. (In Russ.)
  22. Zelinskii, F.F. Iz zhizni idei. Nauchno-populiarnye stat’i [From the Life of Ideas. Popular Science Articles], vol. 2. 3rd ed. St. Petersburg, Tipografiia M.M. Stasiulevicha Publ., 1911. X, 416 p. (In Russ.)
  23. Ivanov, Vyach. “K probleme zvukoobraza u Pushkina” [“About the Problem of the Sound Image in Pushkin’s Poetry”]. Moskovskii pushkinist. Stat’i i materialy [Moscow Pushkinist. Articles and Materials], vol. 2, ed. by M.A. Tsiavlovskii. Moscow, Federatsiia Publ., 1930, pp. 94–105. (In Russ.)
  24. Ivanov, Vyach. “O noveishikh teoreticheskikh iskaniiakh v oblasti khudozhestvennogo slova” [“On the Latest Theoretical Research in the Field of the Artistic Expression”]. Nauchnye izvestiia Akademicheskogo tsentra Narkomprosa [Scientific News of the Academic Center of Narkompros], issue 2: Filosofiia; literatura; iskusstvo [Philosophy; Literature; Art]. Moscow, Gosudarstvennoe izdatel’stvo Publ., [1922], pp. 164–181. (In Russ.)
  25. Ivanov, Vyach. Sobranie sochinenii [Complete Works], vol. 4. Bruxelles, Foyer Oriental Chretien, 1987. 804 p. (In Russ.)
  26. Kotrelev, N.V. “Viach. Ivanov — professor Bakinskogo universiteta” [“Viach. Ivanov, Professor at Baku University”]. Trudy po russkoi i slavianskoi filologii. Uchenye zapiski Tartuskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta [Works on Russian and Slavic Philology. Bulletin of Tartu State University], vol. 209. Tartu, Tartu Ülikooli kirjastus, 1968, pp. 326–339. (In Russ.)
  27. Lappo-Danilevskii, K.Iu. “Viacheslav Ivanov v dialoge so shkoloi A.A. Potebni i utverzhdaiushchimsia formalizmom” [“Viacheslav Ivanov in Dialogue with the School of A.A. Potebnia and Early Formalism”]. Letniaia shkola po russkoi literature, vol. 19, no. 1–2, 2023, pp. 42–88. https://doi.org/10.48612/sum-2023-19-1-2-42-88 (In Russ.)
  28. Obatnin, G.V., and K.Iu. Postoutenko. “Viacheslav Ivanov i formal’nyi metod: (Materialy k teme)” [“Viacheslav Ivanov and the Formal Method (Materials to the Subject)”]. Russkaia literatura, no. 1, 1992, pp. 180–187. (In Russ.)
  29. Pil’shchikov, I.A., and A.B. Ustinov. “Moskovskii lingvisticheskii kruzhok i stanovlenie russkogo stikhovedeniia (1919‒1920)” [“Moscow Linguistic Circle and the Formation of Russian Poetry (1919‒1920)”]. Fleishman, L., D.M. Bethea, and I. Vinitsky, editors. Unacknowledged Legislators: Studies in Russian Literary History and Poetics in Honor of Michael Wachtel. Bern, Peter Lang, 2020, pp. 389–413. (In Russ.)
  30. “Pis’ma Viach. Ivanova i M.O. Gershenzona” [“Letters by Viach. Ivanov and M.O. Gershenzon”], publ. by E. Glukhova and S. Fedotova. Archivio russo- italiano = Russko-ital’ianskii arkhiv [Russian-Italian Archive], vol. 8. Salerno, Vereja Edizioni, 2011, pp. 47–104. (In Russ.)
  31. Poetika: sborniki po teorii poeticheskogo iazyka [Poetics: Collections on the Theory of Poetic Language], issue 3. Petrograd, 18-ia gosudarstvennaia tipografiia Publ., 1919. 173 p. (In Russ.)
  32. Proskurina, V. Techenie Gol’fstrema: Mikhail Gershenzon, ego zhizn’ i mif [The Gulf Stream Current: Mikhail Gershenzon, His Life and Myth]. St. Petersburg, Aleteiia Publ., 1998. 510, [1] p. (In Russ.)
  33. Takho-Godi, E.A. “Nesostoiavsheesia sotrudnichestvo (Viach. Ivanov i A.M. Evlakhov)” [“Failed Cooperation Between Viach. Ivanov and A.M. Evlakhov”]. Viach. Ivanov. Arkhivnye materialy i issledovaniia [Vyach. Ivanov. Archival Materials and Research]. Moscow, Russkie slovari Publ., 1999, pp. 462–465. (In Russ.)
  34. Shishkin, A. “Materialy k teme ʽViach. Ivanov i pushkinovedenie’.” [“ʽViach. Ivanov and Pushkin Studies,’Materials for the Subject”]. Lappo-Danilevskii, K.Iu., and A.B. Shishkin, editors. Viacheslav Ivanov. Issledovaniia i materialy [Vyacheslav Ivanov. Research and Materials], issue 1. St. Petersburg, Pushkin House Publ., 2010, pp. 780–807. (In Russ.)
  35. Shishkin, A.B. “Proekt Sovetskoi Akademii v Rime (1924): Viach. Ivanov, Lunacharskii, P.S. Kogan i drugie” [“The Plan for a Soviet Academy in Rome (1924): Viacheslav Ivanov, Anatoly Lunacharsky, Petr Kogan and Others”]. Literaturnyi fakt, no. 1 (23), 2022, pp. 55 –99. https://doi.org/10.22455/2541-8297-2022-23-55-99 (In Russ.)
  36. Shklovskii, V. “O poezii i zaumnom iazyke” [“About Poetry and Zaum Language”]. Poetika: sborniki po teorii poeticheskogo iazyka [Poetics: Collections on the Theory of Poetic Language], issue 1. Petrograd, Tipografiia Z. Sokolinskogo Publ., 1916, pp. 1–15. (In Russ.)
  37. Wundt, W. Völkerpsychologie. Eine Untersuchung der Entwicklungsgeschichte von Sprache, Mythos und Sitte. Leipzig, W. Engelmann, 1900. 627 S. (In German)