TYPOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE WISE FIGURE IN TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

The paper examines the typological features of the wise figure in traditional and contemporary literature. It approaches this figure not merely as an individual character trait but as a literary phenomenon recurring across different historical periods and cultural traditions. Drawing on V. M. Zhirmunsky's comparative-historical approach and E. M. Forster's distinction between flat and round characters, the study outlines principles for comparing wise figures while distinguishing typological similarity from historical-genetic relationships. It also considers the traditional functions of wisdom-related characters, including the preservation of collective memory, moral guidance, and influence on other characters, and discusses their transformation in contemporary literature. The analysis argues that the wise figure should be examined through its knowledge, experience, ethical position, psychological complexity, social role, cultural background, artistic expression, and function within the character system of a literary work.