Key semantic fields in the comedy "The Forest" by A. N. Ostrovsky’s (to the 200th anniversary of the birth)

Abstract

The article deals with the structure and functions of two semantic fields functioning in the text of the comedy "The Forest" by A. N. Ostrovsky, namely the field "Theatre" and the field "Forest". It is shown that the words in these fields appear both in direct and figurative meanings and are text-forming in nature. They occur frequently and reflect the specific features of the conflict and the theme of the play. Examining the key semantic fields provides the basis for a linguo-stylistic analysis of the comedy "The Forest" performed with structural-semantic and linguoculturological research methods. The study focuses particular attention on the figurative potential of lexical and phraseological units in the semantic fields under consideration. It is noted that the words in the field "Forest" have national and cultural specificity and are associated with the images of Russian folk culture. At the same time, the units of the semantic field "Theatre"develop the game motif and determine the cross-cutting oppositions in the text of the comedy. Their functioning is associated with the "theatre in the theatre" technique which was often used by the playwright and is characteristic of his plays.