| Abstract [eng] |
The master’s thesis analyzes the dimensions of landscape signification in the literary works of Lithuanian writer Antanas Vaičiulaitis (1906–1992). The texts are examined using the principles of pragmatic semiotics formulated by American philosopher Charles S. Peirce. The aim is to identify typical examples of landscape topics and explore the use of semiotic symbols, indices, icons, metaphors, diagrams, and images in the text. The motif of landscape has held a significant place in literature since Greek antiquity, and Antanas Vaičiulaitis’s texts are no exception. Notably, the novel Valentina (1936), the travel sketch collections Nuo Sirakūzų lig Šiaurės elnio (1937), Italijos vaizdai (1949), as well as his private letters written from 1924 to 1992, prominently feature landscape imagery. Through semiotic analysis of the author’s texts, this thesis seeks to complement studies on the relationship between landscape and text in Lithuanian literature. The analyzed works predominantly feature iconic signs and their subclasses—metaphors, diagrams, and images; according to researchers in pragmatic literary semiotics, these elements lend literary quality to the texts. A balanced use of icons, indices and symbols is characteristic of the novel Valentina, while images, diagrams, and metaphors are prominent in the travel sketches. In the private letters, images of the native land prevail. |
