Nika Rakitina’s Novel “Gonitva” (Chase) in the Context of the Development of the Fantasy Genre in Belarusian Literature

Abstract

The article deals with fantasy, a new genre in Belarusian literature. The origins of this genre can be found in the literature of the nineteenth century (Nobleman Zavalnya, or Belarus in Fantastic Stories by Jan Borshchevsky). Researchers note certain elements of fantasy in the works of Vaclav Lastovsky (Labyrinth) and Vladimir Karatkevich (Boat of Despair, The Legend of the Poor Devil and Satan’s Advocate). But it is only at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century that Belarusian literature witnesses the appearance of a number of works representing the original varieties of the genre: classical, folk, mythological, technocratic, feminist and anti-fantasy. The author of the article analyzes in detail Nika Rakitina’s fantasy novel Gonitva (Chase) written in Russian in 2008. Nika Rakitina’s novel is characterized by the productive use of the national literary traditions and cultural codes, as well as the bold postmodern play upon these traditions and codes.