The Image of the "Other" in Short Prose by Z.N. Gippius

This thesis is focused on the image of the Other in the short prose by Zinaida N. Gippius (1869-1945). The aim of the research is to examine how the problem of the Other emerges in her stories on the material of selected works. Relying on theoretical works about the Other and using the method of close reading, we have identified three most frequent categories. First, we analyzed the image of the Other as a foreigner, that is, a character who finds himself in a foreign cultural environment and stands in opposition to the native Russian. Secondly, we examined the characters that we categorized as the liminal Other. Finally, we turned to the images of the marginal Other, represented, in particular, by prostituted women and holy fools. The study demonstrates the functions of the Other in the stories, examines his influence on the development of the conflict and on the transformation of the characters, as well as the literary techniques used to construct the image.