THE NEW WORLD AFTER THE FLOOD. THE RAIN MOTIF IN THE NOVEL LAME FATE BY ARKADIJ AND BORIS STRUGACKIJ: PROPOSAL FOR AN ECOCRITICAL ANALYSIS

In Lame Fate (Chromaja sud’ba), a novel by Arkadij and Boris Strugackij written between 1965 and 1966, a secondary narrative—a novel within a novel—unfolds alongside the main storyline. This embedded narrative, titled Ugly Swans (Gadkie lebedi), was initially rejected by censors due to its political undertones but was later published in a Latvian magazine in 1987 under the title The Rainy Season (Vremja doždja). Set in an unnamed town subjected to relentless rainfall, Ugly Swans explores the catastrophic consequences of a great flood, which is widely attributed to the actions of the mokrecy (clammies), mysterious beings confined to a leper colony. The incessant rain is primarily perceived as a manifestation of divine retribution. Notably, only children remain unaffected by its destructive force, instead experiencing the rain as a natural, protective, and nurturing element. The rain, depicted as both a tangible and symbolic menace, ultimately compels the adult population to abandon the city. In doing so, it cleanses the accumulated corruption of civilization, eradicating any remnants of the old world. However, after the deluge subsides, a new era emerges—one bathed in sunlight, signifying renewal and the birth of a new world. This paper aims to examine the motif of rain in Lame Fate through an ecocritical lens, identifying not only its fundamental thematic implications but also the broader environmental consciousness evident throughout the Strugackij brothers’ body of work. By contextualizing the rain motif within the novel, this study seeks to illuminate its significance within the Authors’ broader philosophical and literary vision.