20th-Century Kalmyk Poetry: Poetics of the Ballad (a Case Study of Works by D. Kugultinov and M. Khoninov)

Introduction. The 1930s development of Soviet Kalmyk poetry was characterized by the introduction of new genres, including ones borrowed from Soviet Russian literature. The literary ballad proved one of those genres: it had no analogues within Kalmyk folklore and, thus, was patterned after the Soviet Russian ballad tradition, having been actively turned to by domestic poets in the 1960s-1970s (followed by a decline in the 1980s). The study is currently topical enough since the 20th-century Kalmyk ballad is still understudied, and aims to identify the role of the genre in the history of Kalmyk literature, delineating the circle of authors to have used the genre. Goals. The article does not seek to investigate the general evolutionary line of the Kalmyk ballad, being limited to insights into poetics of most representative works by D. Kugultinov and M. Khoninov for the determination of the structure and functioning features of the genre in the authors’ poetry throughout the 1960s to 1980s. Methods: The comparative method makes it possible to trace the authors’ strategies and examine the translators’ role in respective Russian-language interpretations of original texts. Results. Despite episodic or constant interest towards the genre displayed by a number of poets in different periods and stages, including G. Davaev, B. Dordzhiev, M. Narmaev, L. Indzhiev, B. Sangadzieva, A. Balakaev, V. Nurov, — the literary ballad never became a leading genre in Soviet Kalmyk poetry. The most remarkable works are three ballads by D. Kugultinov (1970s–1980s) and ten ballads by M. Khoninov (1960s–1970s). Although D. Kugultinov did not identify those ballads as such, the poems still retain definite features of the genre both in terms of form and contents, being essentially lyrical and epic, thematically philosophical and didactic: the fight of good and evil, moral conflicts, the power of artistic declamation. Military ballads of M. Khoninov rest on the tradition of the Russian military ballad with respective heroism, patriotism, self-sacrifice, historical memory and autobiographical nature. Meanwhile, both poets stick to the Kalmyk versification patterns characterized by wide use of anaphora. The ballad verse patterns of theirs have no strict ties to any certain metrical line, stanza or rhyme system — but definitely include anaphora which is evident from examples of poems by both poets. The translators played a significant role in actualizing the genre potential of the Kalmyk authors. Conclusions. The insight into the 20th-century Kalmyk ballad makes it possible to identify the borrowed genre in the history of Kalmyk literature, tracing its genesis, structure and functioning features in the 1960s-1980s, with due regard of form and content, the national vector as exemplified by the works selected.

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