Infernalinis groteskas Balio Sruogos memuaristikoje. "Dieviškoji komedija" "Dievų miške"

LTBalio Sruogos Dievų miškas - beletrizuotų memuarų knyga, "pasižymi[nti] meninio apdorojimo intensyvumu"1. Kaip svarbiausias jos semantikos šaltinis nurodoma ironija2, kuri iškelia ją virš autentiškos memuaristikos bei antifašistinės dokumentikos3. Tačiau šalia ironijos, nors ir nedrąsiai, kartais minimas groteskas4, konstatuojamas groteskinės Sruogos stilistikos originalumas visoje lietuvių literatūroje5. [Iš straipsnio, p. 182]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Balys Sruoga; Dievų miškas; Groteskas; Infernainis groteskas; Literatūra; Memuaristika; „Dievų miškas"; "Forest of the Gods"; Balys Sruoga; Forest of the Gods; Grotesque; Infernal grotesque; Lithuanian literature; Memoirs.

ENSruoga's "Forest of the Gods" is a bell letters version of memoir piece, whose main semantic source is commonly designated as irony. Yet, apart from the irony grotesque also deserves mentioning. Grotesque as one comic technique, a method of satyrical deformity, allows to integrate other forms of comic discourse: irony, caricature, parody, hyperbole, travesty etc. Grotesque is reflective of Sruoga's vision of universe, its structure; grotesque is steeped in the medieval, infernal motives, associated with Dante and his "Divine Comedy". The main grotesque transformations of the universe in the work "Forest of the Gods" happen through allowing alternatives, fantasy and strangeness. Stutthof locality, order, atmosphere epitomise Inferno. The guardians of the camp are demonised and turn into typical gortesque objects, embracing both comism and horror, fun and absolute evil. Grotesque is seen in the abundance of guards, hibridity of their bodies, senseless activity and agression, craving for the dark. The life of the victims in the camp is unified and standardized. The boundaries between the dead and the live body, between humane and animal shape, between the body and the object disappear. The finale of transformations is death which in grotesque happens in public, is desanctified and unrespected. The irony contorts the camp into a grotesque grimase of civilization, anti-utopia par excellence, whose logic is alogy and norm is abnormality. In comparison with Dante's "Divine Comedy" in "Forest of the Gods" the continuum of universe is interrupted, there is no counterbalance of the evil, no mechanism for resisting evil. However, despite the feeling of downfall, the light penetrates the surroundings: it is the power of the poet to discipline the cosmos by the sense of its idealness, preserved in one‘s mind and witnessed by histoiy. [From the publication]