Research On The Function Of The Dressing In Bulgakov’s Drama

Mikhail Afanasievich Bulgakov(1891-1940)is a Russian dramatist and novelist.Bulgakov’s dramas,with a humanitarian perspective,a combination of virtuality and reality,a mixed style of sadness and joy,and a comic and absurd color,wander between realism and modernism,carrying another kind of historical memory different from the mainstream discourse of the Soviet Union,and also showing philosophical thinking about the relationship between the stage and reality.“Dressing” is one of the most typical dramatic actions in Bulgakov’s dramas.It is not only rooted in the western literary tradition since ancient Greece,but also permeates Bulgakov’s feelings as an old Russian intellectual since the October Revolution.This paper takes the dressing in Bulgakov’s dramas as the research object,and comprehensively analyzes the artistic functions of dressing in dramas by using Bakhtin’s theory of carnivalisation,Foucault’s theory of power discourse,Butler’s theory of performativity and relevant theatre theories.The introduction section first introduces the origins of this paper,then describes the state of research on Bulgakov’s dramas at home and abroad and defines the core concepts,and finally discusses the research methodology,significance and innovations.The first chapter introduces the structural function of dressing in dramas based on“peripeteia” and “discovery”.As a typical dramatic action,various disguises,coverings and identity changes,whether intentional or unintentional,appear at the beginning,development,climax and end of the plot,serving to promote the story and enhance the dramatic conflict.The moment of dressing is often the “threshold” moment when the characters are faced with a major choice,signalling a transition in their political identity,as well as the sudden change of fate and the discovery of their relationships.In addition,dressing also becomes a powerful fulcrum for the expansion and extension of the narrative space-time structure,greatly expanding the capacity of the dramas and allowing multiple narrative threads and space-time patterns to be effectively integrated into the dramas.The second chapter is devoted to the literary-political function of the dressing down by the “coronation” and “de-coronation”.The characters in Bulgakov’s dramas lack clear awareness of the times and firm political positions,or are completely influenced by the official ideology.Therefore,they often drift with the tide in the political environment and show strong adaptability to changes in social life.They construct their political identities through performative speech acts or metaphorical external costumes.The essence of dressing is self-shaping under the gaze of power.Through a series of coronation and decoronation,the dramas deconstruct the solidity of the characters’ political identities,reveal the cruelty and blindness of the power mechanism,challenge the political authority and collective myth constructed by the ideological discourse.The third chapter analyses the stage function of dressing around the “comicality” and“absurdity”.The frequent dressing of characters makes the traditional “backstage” become“frontstage”,and “characters” become “actors”,which first creates a strange alienation effect in the audience’s mind.Secondly,the act of dressing reflects the mechanisation of life and the ignorance of one’s own limitations,which makes the dramas more comical.Finally,the dressing from the theatre and life forms a mirror relationship.When watching the dramas,the audience are also reflecting on the reality.They not only perceive the absurdity of the stage in the contrast between the “lightness” of dressing and the “heaviness”of history,but also compensate for the tragic feeling that history is “lost” in the “noise” of the high-profile dressing.The fourth chapter draws on the terms “passage” and “discipline” to explain the ritual function of dressing.As a cultural ritual in daily life,dressing is an external representation of the threshold state of human beings,implying a transition from one state to another.Through the dressing of characters,Bulgakov presents the social landscape of a particular period,subverting the historical discourse constructed by Soviet ideology.From the perspective of micro-politics,dressing also becomes an important means of performing the body.Compared with Shakespeare’s dramas,the dressing in Bulgakov’s dramas is more trivial and covert,reflecting the evolution of power technology from the 16 th century to the 20 th century.The fifth chapter analyses the causes that generate the phenomenon of dressing in Bulgakov’s dramas.Personally,the preference for dressing is regulated by Bulgakov’s view of dramas.The concept of cyclic history and the concept of illusory stage make dressing symbolic and deconstructive.In terms of ideological tradition,dressing is not only a modern innovation of the classical “metamorphosis” technique,but also an implicit transformation of Russian religious mysticism.In the context of the period,the characters’ dressing reflects the life experience and social psychology of the intellectuals and the Soviet people at the same time.Under the political pressure,costumes has become a perfect prop for political identity performance.The conclusion summarizes the basic characteristics of Bulgakov’s dramatic dressing.Taking clowns and actors as objects,using actions,language and costumes in front of the stage as media,characters’ dressing reveals the process of political identity performance.It often takes place in the conflict to form a dramatic turn,but also has the carnival color of construction and deconstruction,reality and illusion.