The visual rhythmic features A. Bely's novel “Masks”

The article analyzes the visual-rhythmic features of the final novel by A. Bely “Masks”. The role of A. Bely as the forefather of the 20th century visual model is noted, a common feature of which is the discreteness of the page space. The author focuses on exploring the interrelation of micro and macro levels of the text: external visual appearance, rhythmic organization and ideological intention of the work. The undertaken research proves that the interaction of the visual and rhythmic components of the text plays the leading role in the novel “Masks”: the visual and graphic features of the novels by A. Bely affect the features of intonation, pausation, tempo of narration, location and intensity of stress, and perform the rhythm-forming function. Such visual techniques as the use of additional indents, the “ladder”, the figured arrangement of the text, the graphic equivalent of the text, and the font typeface come to the fore in the novel “Masks”. The visual component of the novel becomes a marker that emphasizes the repetition or change of the rhythmic pattern of the text. Fixing and visually securing the change of plot, action, time, visual division allows either to slow down or speed up the rhythm of the text. The arrangement of the text array also accentuates the rhythm of images and leitmotifs, visually highlighting repetitive elements. The interaction of the rhythmic-intonational and visual-graphic levels of the text of the novel creates additional, implicit meanings, performs an emotionally expressive function, and activates the reader's perception.