THE ELEMENT OF FIRE IN THE RUSSIAN POETIC AVANT-GARDE (VELIMIR KHLEBNIKOV AND DANIIL KHARMS)

The article considers the element of fire as reflected in the motif and image structure of V. Khlebnikov's and D. Kharms' poetic works as two representatives of the Russian avant-garde. The author demonstrates that fire as an element in their poetry is ambivalent and multisided, as it can be both external and internal, it can be conditioned by physical and material processes and connected with the ideal and spiritual sides of people's lives, it has a potential to create but it can also destroy, it can both be an object and a means of depiction. The main conclusion the author makes is that fire is a universal that, owing to its multifold nature, makes it possible to create meaningful symbolic perspectives thus enabling the poets to artistically express themselves.