The image representation of the theatre in the English prose discourse of the late XIX - early XX centuries

The paper explored representation of the concept THEATRE in English prose’ discourse having and established an ambivalent nature of that concept. The theater is shown to be a relevant part of the piece of art’ structure, being one of its key images, and theater-related subjects determine the general subject of the piece of art and its aesthetic conception. Variations in functioning of the THEATRE concept are illustrated with metaphor’ novels as follows: "Theatre" by S. Maugham, "Between the Acts" by V. Woolf, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. The study observed realization of metaphors THEATRE - WORLD and WORLD - THEATRE in these novels.