Poetics of color as a tool for the analysis of a literary text

The paper discusses methodological approaches to the study of the poetics of color in literary texts. To identify the methodology, the study consistently examines the process of the formation of ideas about color, takes into account and systematizes existing approaches to its analysis, in particular, those based on the peculiarities of the existence of color in culture and the semantics of color terms. The starting points for the analysis of the functions and role of color in a literary text are the frequency of use, color or color-light cores, and the grouping of color terms according to their symbolic or metaphorical meanings. Much attention is paid in the paper not only to literary works but also to works on the theory of color and color perception. The mechanisms of perceiving and associating color are of particular interest, since they make it possible to assess the universality of colored images in art. A study of the poetics of color must not be guided solely by interpretation of color meanings or personal associations. Significantly, the semantics of color, due to its cultural existence, does not limit the functions of color in a literary text, but complements the contextual meaning and role of color. In an analysis of a literary text, it is important to remember that the functions of color can be manifested on all the levels of the text. For a study of the poetics of color to be complete and systematic, it is necessary to take into account all the methods of observing color, and one of the tasks of the present research is to identify these methods. It is proposed to distinguish between the concepts of symbol and detail in relation to color. Color should be considered separately in relation to motifs, spatial and temporal organization, and subjective structure. Distinguishing the individual roles of color allows us to consider it as a significant element of the artistic world, complementing it and providing additional ways of understanding and interpreting.