Retardation in Drama (To Clarify the Concept)

Aim. To assess the terminological status of compositional techniques of retardation in relation to drama considering the ways of introducing artistic techniques into plays; to attempt to give this technique the status of a working concept through offering its own definition which can serve as a reliable tool for analysing dramatic works.Methodology. The key research method was a comparative analysis of interpretations of retardation in linguistic, literary, and theatrical dictionary-encyclopedic publications, in their connection with epic drama of A. Ostrovsky. Taking into account these interpretations, and relying on the works of theorists (A. Veselovsky, V. Shklovsky, L. Chernets, L. Tyutelova), our definition of retardation was proposed.Results. The article proves the indefinite status of the concept of “retardation” in the theory of drama, owing also to the synonymous polyphony in the use of the term. It substantiates both plot and off-plot methods of introducing retardation into a play, in close connection with the technique of exclusion. It also defines the terminological framework of this concept in a narrow sense.Research implications. The significance lies in the possible application of the results to the analysis of dramatic works, including the modern ones, due to the increasing emphasis on their narrative elements.