| Abstract [eng] |
Philosophy of the Act in the Prose of Antanas Vaiciulaitis The master’s thesis analyzes selected prose of Antanas Vaiciulaitis from the point of view of philosophy of the act. The question of the relationship between literature and philosophy, relevant ideas of philosophy of life, as well as premises to analyze fictional philosophy of the act in Vaiciulaitis’ prose are addressed, the relationship between author’s prose and philosophy of life is examined. The method used in the thesis: close reading in accordance to selected philosophical ideas from the field of philosophy of life. The term philosophy of the act is adapted for this thesis from a study of the same title by Mikhail Bakhtin; other ideas from philosophers of life are included. In the works analyzed, the most important questions from the perspective of philosophy of the act are: the capacity of the word to establish and create, irrevocability of wrongdoing, the complexity of guilt. Creation of art is considered as a special act. It aims at eternity and godliness, but such an aim remains only a personal hope. It is an unanswered, sensitive question to an artist. Human belief in God is considered with clear perspective of trust in God, but the author is addressing different paths towards religious life, putting emphasis on the act of seeking the faith. The aspects analyzed in Vaiciulaitis’ prose are considered from a variety of perspectives, yet no final answers are given. The situations of life may propose an alternative, a hope, a question but not a final solution. Master’s thesis hence concludes with a claim that Vaiciulaitis fictional thought has a direct connection with the philosophy of life from the beginning of 20th century. The writer should be considered as an author who wrote within the borders of philosophy of life. This attitude is reflected in prose by fragments of realism literature discourse intertwined with genres that express ideas in an allegorical manner (the style of “magical realism”), the questioning attitude of the narrator, use of epigraph, consideration of the same questions in a range of different texts, from a variety of perspectives. |
