«The life of man» by Leonid Andreyev and «The man outside» by Wolfgang Borchert: the experience of comparative analysis

The article is the first attempt to compare the dramatic works of two writers of different epochs and national cultures. The first of them, a brilliant representative of the Silver Age Leonid Andreev (1871-1919) was one of the originators of Russian expressionism, and the second, Wolfgang Borchert (1921-1947), who belonged to the generation of "literature of ruins" ("Truemmerliteratur"), turned to the traditions of actualized after the Second World War German expressionism. Coherence of both writers with the literature of expressionism, and at the same time their position on the "side" of the process, as well as embodied in the works tragic personal and historical experience allow comparing them at the level of their content and forms. The works of both authors have a commonality in construction of the conflict, character system, composition, language and style and can be inscribed in the traditions of "Stationendrama" ("station drama") as a special type of expressionist play.