Novella - what is it? Definition. History. The best works

One of the genre varieties of prose is a short story. What is this form of narration you will learn from this article.

Definition of term

Novella - what is it? This term refers to one of the forms of the narrative prose genre, characterized by shortness, an acute plot, a neutral style of presentation, the lack of psychologism and an unexpected denouement. In Russian literary criticism, it is customary to distinguish between the terms "short story" and "story". However, the differences between these two concepts are very vague. According to BM Eikhenbaum, the novella is plot-oriented, whereas the narrative is characterized by a more psychological and reflexive manner of narration. Goethe called the subject of the novel "an accomplished unheard of event." B. V. Tomashevsky interpreted the word "story" as a specifically Russian synonym for the term "novella". This opinion is justified, since in most languages the difference between these two concepts is not at all done.

Genetic origins

The genre of "short story" goes back to folk tales, fables, proverbs and anecdotes. The staggering folklore legends of the Middle Ages eventually degenerated into complexly structured collections, in which the domestic and magical elements were intricately intertwined: "Ocean of legends", "Panchatantra", "Sindbadova book", "Khazar-Efsan", "A thousand and one nights". In all these works there are the beginnings of a modern novel. From an anecdote, this form of narrative is not a comic, but a sentimental or tragic storyline. From the fable - the lack of edification. In the novel, magic is perceived as something supernatural, and this is different from the tale.

Classical novel

In the Renaissance, the main features of this genre were determined. Classical novella should include a string, culmination and denouement. The exposition in the work is optional. But first of all this genre is distinguished by an unexpected "falcon" turn (pointe), which, according to Aristotle, corresponds to the moment of recognition or vicissitudes. For example, V. Shklovsky described the novel not as a narrative of mutual happy love, but as a description of love with the obstacles that the characters are trying to overcome. The most famous collection of novels in the Renaissance was the "Decameron" by Giovanni Boccaccio.

Novella in history

Novella - what is it? Each literary epoch answered this question in different ways. Romanticism imposed on this genre an imprint of mysticism. In the "Sand Man" Hoffmann, the line between real events and their interpretation in the hero's mind is erased. Until the era of realism in the short story lacked psychology and philosophy, the inner world of the hero could be judged by his actions. The author never gave his assessments of what is happening. With the advent of realism, the novel in its classic version practically disappears. This genre is replaced by other kinds of prose. In Russia, the story comes first, which for a long time was a version of the story. A. Pushkin, N. Gogol, W. Marlinsky, V. Odoevsky - recognized masters of short narration.

The best works

Stories, short stories of different years invariably attract the attention of the modern reader. This genre bears the rudiments of mysticism, fantasy, detective. Edgar Poe in the middle of the 19th century wrote amazing mystical works, such as "The Fall of the House of Aschers", "Ligeia", "The Story of Steep Mountains", "William Wilson". This writer stands at the root of the development of adventurous ("The Golden Beetle") and detective (Novels about Sergeant Dupin) prose. O. Henry's stories are invariably popular. This master of comic paradoxes invented a novel with a double twist, false and real, to which the reader is unprepared. The stories "Gifts of the Magi", "Leader of the Redskins", "Russian sables", "Debut Tildi" are read in one breath. Novella - what is it? Prosper Marime, Guy de Maupassant, Tofil Gauthier, Anton Chekhov, Conan Doyle, Ludwig Tik - each of these authors responded differently to this question and proved that in the genre of small prose you can create real masterpieces.