Negative anthropology in the literary conception of N. Leskov's short story "The winter day"

The article deals with the personages in N. Leskov’s short story «The Winter Day» investigated as the author’s concept of the human image in general. Thus, the literary anthropology proves its adequacy to reveal the main features of the characters. Its actual area is the human image structure which provides a person unchangeableness in any context - it means the attendance in the human nature of some basic qualities, such as soul, spirit, body and mind. Leskov puts his personages both into the social culture and everyday life contexts. The most of personages of Leskov’s story are quite mean. We couldn’t find out any noble features in their way of living and thinking. They are obsessed by practically all types of passions, so they do not accept the opposite mode of life. The polar opposite personage group carries out the highest ideals - ones are the followers of Leo Tolstoy’s studies (Marie and Fedora), anothers go through a practical training to devote their lives to healing (poor) men (Lydia). The «low» passioned personages are motivated by two leading strategies. These are the body pleasures and money. All types of possessions are the engine of the vital energy of the Hostess and her lady Guest, her sons and her maidservants. Uncle Zachar stands in position between these opposite groups - he feels like sorrow about his wasting of lifetime, but he can not give it up. Lydia and the like personages are arranged, as the literary anthropology subjects, by the concepts heart and soul. On the opposite, another persons acting in the story are adapting such substances as body and flesh for their self identity. So we have to admit that the polarization of the literary anthropology signs and the predominance of the negative ones stand as a principles of the late Leskov’s works.