THE COMIC ASPECT OF THE TRADITIONS CONCEPT IN LUIGI PIRANDELLO'S NOVELS

The article contains the results of the analysis of the specific features for representing the comic aspect of the TRADITIONS concept in the novels "L’Esclusa", "Il Turno", "Il Fu Mattia Pascal", "Suo Marito" by Luigi Pirandello. The basis for understanding how the author comprehended the comic within the TRADITIONS concept lays in his original interpretation of the categories of humour and comic which he elaborated under the influence of H. Bergson’s and G. Simmel’s theories. The thoughts of a literary critic A. Tilgher also had a great impact on L. Pirandello’s creative evolution and worldview, specifically on the writer’s approach to the category of comic. Moreover, the article deals with the ethnic specificity (all-Italian, and Sicilian in particular) as one of the main factors that determined the author’s works. L. Pirandello shows ironic and satyric attitude towards the Sicilian society which is mainly noticeable in the descriptions of the characters inflicted by a conservative worldview. The comic side of the TRADITIONS concept is represented (predominantly in a metaphorical way) in a dichotomy of the closed static social system and the spiritual freedom merged with true deep feelings of an individual. The microconcepts FAMILY and SOCIETY were defined and analyzed within the TRADITIONS concepts. The important qualities of FAMILY and SOCIETY are their static, mechanic, cycle nature, and social determination which the author unifies under a common idea of degrading. One of the main components in the TRADITIONS concept comic representation structure are the generalized characters used for creating the conflict "group VS individual". The TRADITIONS concept represents for L. Pirandello a deformed reality which he verbalizes with the age, religion, invective markings towards conservative characters and their society. The comic side of the TRADITIONS concept is realized through an ironic counterpositioning of a conservative and contemporary worldview.