Tangaeva N. I.

Christian categories of vice and virtue, as illustrated in the song-opera TODD, authored by punk group Korol i Shut: literary aspects Р. 149-165.

UDC 78:821.161.3-192.09«19»

DOI: 10.37724/RSU.2023.79.2.015

Abstract. The article explores the significance of Christian axiology in understanding the plot, images, and conflicts in the stage production TODD made by Korol i Shut (King and Jester). The paper focuses on the literary text of the musical performance, that is, rock lyrics. In each national culture, rock poetry is influenced by the national mentality and traditions, which, in the case of Russian culture, are fundamentally Christian. In this regard, we consider it relevant, to study the interaction between Christian axiology and works of rock poetry lyrics. The current study is applied to the texts of the song opera TODD. The subgenre of a “song opera” implies sharp criticism of society and of various social drawbacks. In the context of the production of TODD, the main conflict, in our opinion, is due to the discrepancy between God’s original plan of an ideal world, and the actual result. The real cause of imperfection of the society represented in the play can be established thanks to the opposition we identify as vice vs virtue, understood in the Christian sense, which acts as the core component of the work. In accordance with these Christian categories, the heroes represent two opposites: those who reject God and decide to live contrary to His precepts, and those who sincerely believe in the Creator and cannot imagine life without Him. Those belonging to the first group embrace vices and do not think about the consequences of their actions. Their actions turn the setting of the play into hell and move away from God. As an alternative, another life is shown — virtuous, calm, and filled with love, which should be at the head of society, but is too weak to face reality and to influence it. Life without love, replaced by its surrogates, and therefore without God, does not allow the world to improve and achieve justice or happiness.

The conclusions made in the course of the analysis of the images and problems of the opera TODD through the prism of Christian axiology allow us to determine a deeper source of the narrative conflict, as well as to prove the complicity of modern poets, writers and musicians of Russian rock with their national and spiritual memory, which substantiates the need to study their work in the context of the development of Russian literature.

 

Keywords: rock poetry, biblical text, Christian axiology, national self-consciousness, song-opera TODD, play, Korol i Shut (King and Jester).

 

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