Journal archive

Abstract: Travelogue as a personal journey suggests a high degree of reflection. The writers have referred to this genre at all times. However, at the turn of the 20th – 21st centuries, it has become extremely popular due to its transformation into a multi-level, syncretic genre. A travelogue author fixes his personal experience of movements in the external space, creates the model of the world and broadcasts an individual concept of the spiritual journey. The genre of travelogue gets definite ethnic and gender-related overtones in much of today’s Russian-language literature, helping the latter get across to a wider range of readers and transforming it into a mass culture phenomenon. Having obtained some peculiar characteristics, contemporary travelogue preserves the classic features: narrator/traveller model and time-space discretion. Some scientists consider that it is still too early to speak about travelogue as a ready-made literary genre in relation to the Russian literature. However, numerous recently published texts indicate that travelogue has become a top popular genre throughout the last decade. It interprets different geographic and cultural landscapes, provides a detailed description of the author/character moving around in space. Special attention is given to visiting the iconic places that determine the fate and mentality of the traveler. The contemporary synthetic travelogue is the fusion of genres. In addition to investigating new locations, the main characters of such travelogues get into adventurous situations; fall in love, flee persecution. Thus, travelogue synthesis with romance, detective story, thriller, and guidebook gives new dimensions to the popular literature discourse.