Dialogue in Polylogue as a Way of Articulating Lifestyle in Yaroslava Pulinovich’s Play "Elza’s Land"

Abstract

This article offers a detailed analysis of the concept of “lifestyle” as articulated through the dramatic device of polylogue in Yaroslava Pulinovich’s 2015 play, Elza’s Land. The author argues that polylogue is instrumental in revealing the evolving identity of the protagonist, Elza, and her complex interpersonal relationships within a conservative rural setting. The study centers on Elza, a 76-year-old widow whose pursuit of a liberated, romantic, and self-fulfilling life sharply contrasts with the rigid expectations and patriarchal norms of her family and community. The author applies Borys Norman’s theory of polylogue, highlighting the “semantic incompatibility” and “pseudocommunication” among characters to under score Elza’s profound isolation. The article also explores how linguistic structures shape worldviews and identifies pervasive melodramatic and fairy-tale motifs (e.g., Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet) that imbue the narrative with both sentimental and tragic undertones. Elza’s transformation—from a life marked by trauma to a demonstrative expression of her inner self, symbolized by her “pink” wedding attire—is framed as a “compensatory liberation” of her long-suppressed femininity. The article concludes that Elza’s quest for eudaimonistic well-being ultimately proves unattainable within the constraints of her post-Soviet provincial reality. This leads to a tragic yet ambiguously utopian ending, which simultaneously critiques societal limitations and champions the intrinsic value of individual happiness and self-discovery.