The peculiarity of the authorial strategy in E. Limonov's novel "We Had a Great Epoch"

This article is devoted to the analysis of E. Limonov's novel "We Had a Great Epoch" in the context of the authorial strategy, which is due to the writer's well-known inclination to constructing a special narrative technique and, in general, his penchant for creating experimental forms in thematic and plot terms. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that, for the first time, the writer's novel "We Had a Great Epoch" is considered from the point of view of authorial thematics. The aim of the work is to identify the features of the novel's authorial strategy. As a result of the research, the following has been established. The key components of the novel's authorial strategy are, firstly, the authorial mask of the "real author" himself, embodied in the image of a fictitious author-narrator who mystifies the reader by passing off the text as his own composition. Limonov deliberately blurs the boundaries between the hero and the author, as a result of which these images are identified in the reader's mind. Secondly, there are a number of metanarrative elements, including regular authorial intrusions into the text, remarks, and evaluations. The framing plan of the text, which includes the title, dedication, and preface, is also read as an important element of Limonov's authorial strategy. Thirdly, there is a play on biographicalism, the purpose of which is a deep authorial reflection on his early post-war childhood and an attempt to look at the beginning of his own life path from the height of the years he has lived.