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24Central Asian Research Journal For Interdisciplinary Studies (CARJIS)
ISSN (online): 2181-2454 Volume 2 | Issue 5 | May, 2022 | SJIF: 5,965 | UIF: 7,6 | ISRA: JIF 1.947 | Google Scholar |
www.carjis.org DOI: 10.24412/2181-2454-2022-5-76-81
HEINRICH BOLL AND THE IMAGE OF A WOMAN
Musallam Muminovna Khasanova
Senior Lecturer, National University of Uzbekistan, Faculty of Foreign Philology. E-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The article reveals the role and significance of the female figures at the work of Heinrich Boll, one of the largest representatives of German literature of the 20th century, a Nobel Prize winner. The author's work "Group portrait with a lady" was selected for research. Author clarified the features of the image of the main character Leni Pfeiffer and the process of her formation and development as a hero.
Keywords: the image of a woman, Heinrich Boll, German literature, imagery, Group portrait with a lady, novelism
АННОТАЦИЯ
В статье раскрывается роль и значение женского образа в творчества Генриха Бёлля, крупнейшего представителя немецкой литературы ХХ века, лауреата Нобелевской премии. Для исследования выбрана работа автора «Групповой портрет с дамой». Автором раскрыты особенности образа главной героини Лени Пфайффер и процесс ее становления и развития как героя.
Ключевые слова: образ женщины, Генрих Бёлль, немецкая литература, образность, Групповой портрет с дамой, романизм
INTRODUCTION
Literature, especially prose, is always distinguished by the diversity of images and the creation based on deep ideological concepts. Heroes, their experiences and actions, their adventures, aspirations and desires make the heart of every single work in literature. It is the image of the protagonist that is one of the main factors that determine the reader's attitude towards the work. Among the characters, the most versatile and complex heroes are, of course, female ones. The images of women reflect the social constructions of all regions and nations, countries, rural areas, historical periods and ideologies, revealing the events, lifestyles, mentality, problems and achievements of their time.
Central Asian Research Journal For Interdisciplinary Studies (CARJIS)
ISSN (online): 2181-2454 Volume 2 | Issue 5 | May, 2022 | SJIF: 5,965 | UIF: 7,6 | ISRA: JIF 1.947 | Google Scholar |
www.carjis.org DOI: 10.24412/2181-2454-2022-5-76-81
In addition, female characters are found in all novels, and any story, short story, etc.,are distinguished by their important role in the formation, development and turning points of the plot.
LITERATURE REVIEW
In the works of Heinrich Boll, famous German writer of the 20th century, scientific research has been conducted on the issue of artistic image and character. In particular, among the representatives of the scientific community of the CIS and Central Asian countries are E.A.Ilina [18], B.M. Gasparov [1], O.A. Baynova [19], S.A. Djebrailova [2], I.B.Rodnyanskaya [20], S.V. Rozhnovskiy [21], M.L.Rudnitskiy [22], G.L. Virina [23], N.A. Bakshi [24], N.K. Rymar [25] studied the relationship between philosophical and structural concepts, character statement, image and plot dynamics in the work of H. Boll.
In German and foreign literature A. Beckel [6], B.Berlin [7], G.Bernard [8], G.Falkenstein [9], E. Lenhart [10], X.Plard [11], V Schwartz [12], Dj.Draper [13], D.Derrow [14], L.Zilinsiki [3], G.Linder [15], S.Hoffman [ 16], by V. Jens [17] in the work of H. Boll conducted a lot of scientific research on the themes of image and time, the statement of existentialism and social transformations.
The main distinguishing feature of all these works is that, the issue of images is approached from the point of view of general analysis, while the issue of female image is rarely analyzed as a separate, broadly specific and holistic research object.
In addition, the typology of contemporary female images and their existentialist transformation are poorly studied not only in national scientific communities, but also in international academia. This article tries to fill these gaps and analyzes the role and significance of the female figures the works of Heinrich Boll.
METHODS OF ANALYSIS
The article used general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, systematic and historical approaches, as well as methods of comparative analysis, quantitative analysis, scientific evaluation. These methodologies and methods allowed to study the features of the female image at H. Boll's works on a wide theoretical, scientific and practical scale, to determine the influence of the hero's inner experiences and external environment on the formation and development of these images.
Central Asian Research Journal For Interdisciplinary Studies (CARJIS)
ISSN (online): 2181-2454
Volume 2 | Issue 5 | May, 2022 | SJIF: 5,965 | UIF: 7,6 | ISRA: JIF 1.947 | Google Scholar |
www.carjis.org DOI: 10.24412/2181-2454-2022-5-76-81
RESULTS
In German literature, the woman and female image have always been on the focus of writers. In particular, the concept of the heroine plays an important role in the work of Heinrich Theodor Böll (1917-1985), a major figure in post war German literature, recipient of the Georg Büchner Prize (1967) and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature (1972). In almost all of his works, female characters are protagonists or antagonists that were hardened during the war, but mentally and emotionally depressed, as well as adapting to life in spite of all difficulties, trying to understand it [2, p. 19]. After all, a big part of the author's life coincided with difficult historical periods for Germany and the peoples of Europe - the end of the First World War, the economic crisis and social depression, the rise to power of the National Socialists, the Second World War and its aftermath.
- In his work, Heinrich Böll described this period, which was terrible for the German people, without romanticization. He illuminates the impact of the war years on the lives of ordinary people through the problems of life and changes in interpersonal relationships, difficulties. War is not the main theme in his work, but it is a factor that is reflected in every action of the life of every hero.
- So, the war and its consequences are one of the main motives for all the heroes of the author, including the female characters. That is, the concept of the hero of the period in Böll's works serves to reveal the individual impact of a particular universal event (War) on human destiny.
- In general, the images of female protagonists in the author's work can be divided into the following groups:
- Femme-fatale (mysterious woman);
- Inspiration fairy and cunning woman;
- Victim of the post-war period;
- Avenger woman.
H. Böll's particularly mysterious female concept is unique. She is completely different from the images of the unfortunate "femme-fatale" (ie, a woman with a negative motive, who pursues hidden goals, who is unhappy and causes unhappiness to those around her), which leads to widespread destructive ideas in world and European literature [3]. Böll's mysterious female characters seem so simple and vital at first glance that they can't have a specific mystery. One of the main reasons for this is that Böll's mysterious female protagonists have their own world, and are somewhat indifferent to the environment around them, free from selfish motives and
Central Asian Research Journal For Interdisciplinary Studies (CARJIS)
ISSN (online): 2181-2454
Volume 2 | Issue 5 | May, 2022 | SJIF: 5,965 | UIF: 7,6 | ISRA: JIF 1.947 | Google Scholar |
www.carjis.org DOI: 10.24412/2181-2454-2022-5-76-81
conspiracies.
The author has made extensive use of the concept of the mysterious woman, especially in his two famous works, the group "Group Portrait with a Lady" [4]. The work reveals the direct connection between war and its consequences in the example of the fate of individuals. It begins with pre-World War II events and ends in the mid-1970s. at the center of the story are the fates of a broken human beigns. All the protagonists in the novel are people who protest against the existing injustices and lies. The main character is Leni Pfeiffer, a 48-year-old German woman who is simple at first glance and on the brink of poverty. She is a widow, her only child, 25-year-old son is in prison. The work is narrated in the third person- from the author's stories, and through each page we see harmony in Leni Pfeiffer's lines of past and present life. The author describes Leni as a "strange woman" and communicates with her relatives, friends and enemies to learn more about her.
Throughout the work, we observe that Leni is a mysterious woman and that she is often incomprehensible to herself as well. She is a hero whose inner world is full of contradictions and who does not want to come to terms with the realities of West Germany during and after the war. Her whole life, especially her love for the Russian officer and prisoner of war Boris Kotlovsky, is a unique challenge, a claim to those around her and to the unpleasant reality that surrounds her. However, the fact that Leni's inner world is full of conflicts, that she has not been able to achieve a whole spiritual harmony, makes him a woman who, over the years, is incomprehensible to others, as well as to herself. Leni is a fair-minded heroine who is able to fight the Nazi oppression, but at the same time she is a real mysterious woman who is introverted, does not trust strangers, and in time can not believe anyone else. Even at the end of the work, the author does not put an end to the image of Leni, retaining its mysterious nature.
So, through the novel "Group Portrait of with a Lady" we can see that Heinrich Boll's concept of a mysterious woman is revealed in two main ways. First, through the description of the work Leni's thoughts about herself and her own life are not quoted in the novel. The image of Leni achieves mystery with an abundance of external data and extreme contrast. Also, the female protagonist is characterized by different qualities at the beginning and at the end.
Second, by leaving the level of authenticity of the information given about the protagonist open to the reader. The basic information about Leni Pfeiffer's life, past, and present was given to her by people, friends, or enemies who could not approach
Central Asian Research Journal For Interdisciplinary Studies (CARJIS)
ISSN (online): 2181-2454 Volume 2 | Issue 5 | May, 2022 | SJIF: 5,965 | UIF: 7,6 | ISRA: JIF 1.947 | Google Scholar |
www.carjis.org DOI: 10.24412/2181-2454-2022-5-76-81
and knew her completely objectively. So, the image of Leni for the reader is mainly embodied in these descriptions, the question arises as to whether it is the result of passions, love and hate. This dilemma increases the level of mystery of Leni's image. And author does not answer to this question.
CONCLUSION
Almost all the female characters in the Heinrich Böll's works are contemporaries of the writer. They are heroines who seek to find their place in life in times of severe socio-political, economic crises. These female protagonists or antagonists represent different social strata, positions, ages. Their dreams, aspirations and values are not always the same. But they are surrounded by social and political changes, difficulties, injustices in society. And the feeling of facing these difficulties or injustices, of finding ways out of them, unites them. Therefore, Böll's rich literary heritage and the role and importance of women in this heritage, the issue of their systematic study as a separate and broad special and holistic image remains relevant to today's science and academia.
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Central Asian Research Journal For Interdisciplinary Studies (CARJIS)
ISSN (online): 2181-2454 Volume 2 | Issue 5 | May, 2022 | SJIF: 5,965 | UIF: 7,6 | ISRA: JIF 1.947 | Google Scholar |
www.carjis.org DOI: 10.24412/2181-2454-2022-5-76-81
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