У статті досліджено способи оприявнення музики на лексико-семантичному, структурному
й ритміко-синтаксичному рівнях роману “Мерфі” (1938) Семюела Беккета, чия творчість була
спробою синтезу прози і музики. Беккет не просто поєднує два види мистецтва за допомогою
алюзій і референцій, фонетичного звуконаслідування чи імітації конкретних музичних форм, а
й апелює до семантики музики й намагається використати її здатність безпосередньо виражати
почуття й думки, зосереджуючи увагу на “значеннєвих можливостях” музики як метафори.
Різноплановість музичності беккетівського тексту виявляється також у ритмічній організації,
наявності лексичних лейтмотивів, словесних і структурних повторів.
The paper explores the ways in which music manifests itself on lexical-semantic, structural
and rhythmic-syntactic levels of the novel “Murphy” (1938) by Samuel Beckett, whose Anglo- and
Francophone writing is an attempt to synthesize prose and music. Beckett’s aesthetic ideas, his
understanding of the expressivity of word and music were considerably influenced by Wittgenstein’s
philosophy of linguistic skepticism and Schopenhauer’s vision of music as the only way of expressing
the essence of the world.
In his work, not only does Beckett combine the two forms of art through allusions and references,
phonetic sound imitation or modeling of particular musical forms, but also makes an attempt to use
the imagery of music and its ability to directly express feelings and thoughts, focusing on ‘semantic
possibilities’ of music as a metaphor. Being sensitive to the sounding qualities of phrases in his
works, Beckett perceived any sounds, even human ones, as music. He saturates the novel “Murphy”
with auditory memories, rising and falling sounds, rhythms, melodies and musical categories, which
enhance its musical effect. The diversity of musicality in Beckettian text is also manifested in the
rhythmic organization, the presence of leitmotifs, and extensive use of verbal and structural repetitions.
Therefore, Beckett’s method in “Murphy” involves using devices of musical expressiveness, as well
as transforming the musical categories into metaphors of different experiences. Simultaneously, the
rhythm of repetitions makes the emotional tonality of the work more distinct and creates the effect of
intense movement of the consciousness.
