STYLISTIC METHODS OF DEPICTING THE DEVIL IN THE NOVELS BY L.N. ANDREYEV AND M.A. BULGAKOV

The article is devoted to the stylistic methods of creating the image of the Devil in literary works. The material for the study was the famous novels of prominent writers of the first half of the 20th century M.A. Bulgakov’s “Master and Margarita” and L.N. Andreyev’s “Diary of Satan”. The article argues the reasons for choosing these particular literary works taken for analysis in this study. The purpose of this article is to examine the linguistic techniques and language tools used by L. Andreyev and M. Bulgakov in depicting the Devil in the above-mentioned novels. The authors of the article analyze how Satan acquires a human form, give a portrait and speech characteristics of the heroes in both novels. In addition, the article provides examples of how M. Bulgakov, using the method of expressive and stylistic variation of the character’s discourse depending on the interlocutor, creates a unique, colorful image of Woland, emphasizing his versatility. L. Andreyev uses a variety of manifestations of the mental phenomenon of a split personality, in the situation of the novel – the duality of the narrator and other main characters. In conclusion, the undoubted innovation of Andreyev and Bulgakov in the depicting the Devil is underlined. It is emphasized that the image of the Devil in culture has always remained in demand, only by changing the forms and names. L. Andreyev and M. Bulgakov show how terrible the actions and thoughts of people are against the background of devilish evil. The authors of the novels satirically ridicule the human world. If before people were afraid of the Devil and  hell and tried to live righteously, now Satan, as the highest degree of punishment, does not frighten them. His temptations look rather pale against the background of public self-depreciation. At the end of the article further prospects for the study of this problem are outlined.