SYMMETRY OF CHRACTERS IN INGA ĀBELE’S NOVEL “KLŪGU MŪKS”

Abstract

The prototype of the central character in Inga Ābele’s (1972) award winning novel “Klūgu mūks” (Wicker Monk, 2014) is Francis Trasuns (1864–1926), a well-known Latgalian patriot, catholic priest, politician, cultural and social figure and writer. The novel is set at the end of 19th century and early 20th century, during the time of the National Awakening. F. Trasuns was one of the most significant personalities in the history of the first Latgalian awakening in St Petersburg. He contributed greatly to the creation and promotion of Latgalian self-confidence, spiritual and cultural development and political growth. He was the first Latgalian ever to be elected to the national parliament – State Duma of the Russian Empire. The private life of F. Trasuns was dramatic, difficult and marked by conflicts. On September 20, 1925, he was officially excommunicated – banished from the Catholic Church. He was accused of arrogance, defiance of his religious authorities, wearing civilian clothes and concubinage. The myth about F. Trasuns enjoying undivided social support in the last years of his life emerged soon after his death, when he became a symbol of struggle against ignorance and blind devotion to clerical dogmas. The educational and literary heritage of F. Trasuns (sketches, literary portraits, poems, a play, translations and feuilletons) should be understood as commentaries to his views, convictions and activities. The cultural philosophy of Richard Rorty and Euclid’s five geometrical axioms were used in the analysis of the novel to prove the symmetry of relationship between men and women characters. The symmetry of characters is revealed through the metaphor of wicker weaving (for example, a basket) that expresses many meanings including a parallel, cross, circle etc. Wicker weaving in the novel symbolises the product of a natural material and human work – interaction of nature and culture – the main condition for the existence of a small nation.