Artistic and philosophical concept “Toska” in F. Sologub's poetry

Abstract

The paper examines the distinctive embodiment of the concept of “Toska” in the poetry of F. Sologub. Contemporary scholarship maintains a steady interest in the works of the “senior” Russian symbolists, including F. Sologub, whose conceptual framework merits particular attention. This study explores how the concept of “Toska” is verbalized in F. Sologub’s poetry, contrasting it with the universal concept as defined by explanatory, associative, dialectal, and etymological dictionaries. A comprehensive methodology is employed, grounded in the descriptive method and supplemented by more specific techniques. The research defines “Toska” in F. Sologub’s poetic works as a unique artistic and philosophical concept – an aestheticized, verbalized linguo-mental entity that conveys profound philosophical meaning. The poetic text reveals a clear distinction between the linguistic conceptualization of “Toska” and its manifestation within the artistic worldview. Compared to the universal concept, F. Sologub’s artistic and philosophical “Toska” appears in a broader range of contexts and is represented by a greater variety of core and peripheral explicators. The relationship between the core and periphery of this linguo-mental phenomenon is notably fluid. The artistic-philosophical concept forms thematic, associative, and lexical-grammatical fields that are absent from the universal concept. Lexical meanings are transformed, and occasional semes emerge in various contexts. The number of verbalizers increases, enriching the concept with broader associative and figurative layers that reflect aesthetic information, including ancient, Orthodox, and pagan cultural strata. The analysis demonstrates that the artistic and philosophical concept of “Toska” occupies a central place in F. Sologub’s conceptual universe.