ARTISTIC DETAIL IN THE PROSE OF SERGEI DOVLATOV: FUNCTIONAL AND SEMANTIC ASPECTS

Abstract

This article examines the functional and semantic role of artistic detail in the prose of Sergei Dovlatov, one of the most distinctive representatives of late Soviet and émigré literature. Dovlatov’s narrative style is characterized by brevity, irony, psychological precision, and a deliberate focus on seemingly insignificant details that acquire symbolic and semantic depth within the literary text. The study analyzes how artistic detail functions as a structural, psychological, and ideological element in Dovlatov’s prose. Using textual and contextual analysis, the article explores selected works including The Suitcase, Compromise, and The Zone. The findings demonstrate that artistic details in Dovlatov’s prose serve not merely descriptive purposes but become instruments of characterization, irony, emotional expression, and sociocultural commentary.