G. E. Lessing's Laocoon: the potential of the semantic approach

Abstract

Despite the large array of studies of the theoretical heritage of the German enlightener, this aspect has been most fully developed in the works of I.G. Gerder (article "Critical forests"), R. Ingarden (monograph "Research in aesthetics") and E. Basin (monograph "Art and communication"). In updating the potential of the semantic problematic of Laocoon, considerable assistance is provided by the recourse to studies in which the fruitfulness and relevance of this aspect of the Lessing tract is emphasized to one degree or another. There is an attempt to analyze, in one theoretical space, works on Lessing theory of signs.

In order to identify the essence of the disagreement between I.G. Gerder and G.E. Lessing in the field of establishing boundaries between the kinds of art, special attention is paid to the consideration of Gerder concept of comparative analysis of painting, music and poetry, which is based on the difference of their ways of influence on the recipient – "in space", "in time "and" by force". In the process of analyzing Gerder's reflections, not only his critical attitude to the theory of signs developed by Lessing was considered, but also an attempt by the opponent of "Laokoon" author to justify the use of key concepts of metaphysics to compare the impact of different kinds of art.

When comparing the views of E. Basin and R. Ingarden on the semantic aspect of "Laocoon", the debatable nature of their judgments about the characterization of the characters used in poetry by Lessing is identified. In addition, the article analyzes Lessing's thinking about the possibility of connecting different types of art, the organic combination of which depends on the specifics of the signs used by one or the other art, as well as emphasizes the productivity of the German thinker's idea. This aspect is revealed not only through the analysis of "Laokoon" in the works of E. Basin and R. Ingarden, but also by turning to the theoretical developments of E. Cassirer, B. Balash, A. Vartanova. Thus, the study of the semantic issues of Laokoon has shown the prominence of its conceptual landmarks for theoretical search, both in the field of aesthetics and art.