Genre of judicial speech in multi-discourse structure of the novel Crime and Punishment by F.M. Dostoevsky

In the framework of classical science development the studyof judicial discourse is becoming more and more challenging, which makes the reference to F.M. Dostoevskys heritage up-to-date. Inthe works of this author the problems of crime and punishment, which belong to the sphere of judicial discourse, are touched upon.Thus, judicial discourse is becoming a type of interaction in the framework of a certain social institution. The former undergoes certainchanges in the novel as it is formed through the authors perception. Judicial speech as a genre of judicial discourse takes one of thecentral places in the novel Crime and Punishment, which is determined by the genre specifics of the detective psychological novel. Theinclusion of the judicial speech into the novel structure and following its genre settings is necessary because it helps the author to createthe social and historic truth and to achieve his communicative goals. The aim of this article is to analyse one of the realizations of thejudicial speech in the novel. The scene of Luzhins accusing Sonya of robbery is represented by the author as a mini-trial, in which eachof the participants has his own communicative role. In the speech for the prosecution Luzhin-prosecutor adduces to the court facts andcircumstances, which give evidence against the defendant, uses the strategy of accusation and assault with the aim of psychologicalinfluence on Sonya. The speech for the defence of Raskolnikov-lawyer represents a discussion, the aim of which is to disprove the pointof view of the opposite side. The model of the judicial speech, which was built by the author according to the strict genre laws, is usedby the author to test the characters truth, in the result of which judicial and personal roles do not coincide. Language markers mark onlythe form of judicial discourse and the author transforms its content. The judicial speech is represented and described according to thegenre form, which exists in judicial discourse. It is caused by several reasons. Firstly, the time when the novel was written coincideswith the crisis of the judicial system of the 19th century and reference to this genre is very up-to-date. Secondly, the author longed forfull authenticity in representing court examination and showing its inconsistency and the necessity of reforms. The change of genre settingis explained by evangelic discourse influence on the judicial one, the former taking none the less important place in the multidiscoursestructure of the novel. The authors discourse prevails over the other types and changes them. The genre of the judicial speechof judicial discourse is submitted to the general communicative intentions of the author.

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