Wenfeng K.

 

Image of the righteous hero in Boris Sporov’s novel The Monk-Savior. Pp. 128–134.

UDC 821.161.1-31.09″19″

DOI 10.37724/RSU.2025.89.4.013

 

Abstract. This article is devoted to the study of righteousness and image of a righteous hero in modern spiritual prose, which is actively on the rise at the present time, but still represents a little-studied phenomenon. Spiritual prose considers the phenomenon of righteousness as a desire for inner perfection, the acquisition by a person of such virtues as love for people, sacrifice, mercy, and the need for church formation: in search of the Creator, a person becomes a part of the Church — the Body of Christ. The features of spiritual prose are reflected in Boris Sporov’s novella The Monk-Savior. The writer focuses on the inner evolution of the central character — the disabled soldier Ivan Korovin, who, experiencing a complex of physical and spiritual sufferings, travels from denial of God to faith and acceptance of the Creator’s Providence. The main focus of the work is on two characters: Ivan Korovin and the monk Lazarus, who act as opponents and doppelgangers in relation to each other. At the same time, Lazar acts in relation to Ivan as an assistant character, helping him overcome a moral crisis and embark on the path of righteousness. The key dispute between the characters lies in their perception of God, as a formidable judge who punishes sinners, or as a loving father who forgives and has mercy on the fallen man. Ivan Korovin’s inner world is contradictory: throughout the work, he experiences “ups” and “downs” on the way to moral perfection. This indicates that the path to personal spiritual renewal requires ongoing efforts: recognition of one’s own mistakes and repentance, which occur throughout a person’s life.

 

Keywords: spiritual prose, the image of the righteous, Boris Sporov, the evolving hero, spiritual evolution, an assistant character, forgiveness.

 

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