REIMAGINING FAIRY TALES IN CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE: THE INNOVATIVE NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES OF LYUDMILA PETRUSHEVSKAYA

Abstract

This article embarks on a critical exploration of the transformation of the fairy tale genre in the works of Lyudmila Petrushevskaya. Petrushevskaya, renowned for her incisive foray into the realm of literary fairy tales, emerges as a pivotal figure in contemporary literature, redefining the genre through her idiosyncratic narrative strategies and thematic profundity. The article delves into the genetic lineage of Petrushevskaya’s fairy tales, tracing their roots to the folklore fairy tale while highlighting the distinctive genre evolution. This evolution is marked by a meticulous preservation of the archetypal functions of fairy-tale characters and the structural nuances of folklore cumulative fairy tales. Concurrently, Petrushevskaya’s oeuvre exhibits a pronounced transformation of the genre canon, blending the traditional with the avant-garde, thereby charting new territories in literary expression. A pivotal aspect of this transformation is the infusion of postmodern elements into the fairy tale genre, as evidenced in Petrushevskaya’s work. The interplay of realism, postmodernism, and postrealism within her narratives signifies a paradigm shift in the treatment of fairy tales. This shift is particularly discernible in the incorporation of parody, transformation of familiar fairy tale motifs, and the recontextualization of traditional narratives into contemporaneous themes, all hallmarks of Petrushevskaya’s innovative approach.