| Abstract [eng] |
The aim of the dissertation research is to investigate the cases of conscience performance articulated in the works of Lithuanian authors of the late 19th - early 20th century, paying attention to the problem of the concept of conscience and the causes of the cases of the occurrence of erroneous conscience. The problem of the concept of conscience is being revealed by analysing the process of the relationship between the individual conscience and objective reality as reflected in literary works. The period chosen for the research is based on the political-historical context and the importance of a moral paradigm, since the works of the Lithuanian authors of this particular period best depict the moral situation of the period as well as the articulation of the forms of conscience, and the position taken by the authors regarding the issues of the formation of the concept of conscience. A more frequent representation of the concept of conscience in literature at the juncture of the 19th and 20th centuries is related to the processes of modernisation that took place in Lithuania at the end of the century, i.e. a clash between two value systems – traditional and modern. The new social groups were supposed to share not only new interests, but also new values. The analysis of the works of Lithuanian authors chosen for the research aims at determining the points at which the fundamental and general elements of the concept of conscience coincide or differ. It was noticed that the difference was observed in the expression of conscience, its functions and the levels of maturity. The study of conscience expression in the literary field showed that the differences of the depiction of conscience are presupposed by the authors’ social status, the worldview and moral attitudes, the writing period of the work, literary trends, and the addressee. A frequent use of the concept ‘conscience’ in literature of that time can be explained by the influence of Christian, Western and Russian literature as well as the folklore tradition. |
