Esoteric element in W.B. Yeatss poetry as a linguistic sign

The paper dwells on the problem of the esoteric element modelling within the context of William ButlersYeatss poetry and its Russian translations completed by Grigory Mikhailovich Kruzhkov. We represent the esoteric element in theform of a bilateral sign model possessing the signifier and the signified. The theoretical base for the model construction is the notionof semantic space - the field for translation of culture into the terms of language. This translation has the sign-based nature; thereforethe realization of the analysed cultural influences within the frame of one of the language units (the poetic text) can be representedas an abstract semiotic model. The signifier of the esoteric element is represented by the symbolisation tendency, the latterbeing the basic peculiarity of Yeatss poetics. Symbols cannot provide the monosemantic interpretation, and the symbolical meaningcan be attributed to any unit, which is aesthetically and mentally valuable for the artist. Frequent objects of symbolisation in Yeatsspoetic system are mythologems and symbols proper. The synonymous nouns twilight and dusk (сумерки) belong to the symbols,which formulate the chief mystic motives of Yeatss poetry. Twilight is the time between two opposite states of nature (night andday) and, therefore, it can be regarded as a sign of harmony, symbolising reunion with the Absolute. Using the lexeme twilight as asymbol, Yeats unites the objective and the subjective layers of reality, highlighting the connection between Nature and Spirit. Mythologemis defined as a poetic text unit, taken from the anthology of the world myths (it can be a name, a plot scheme, an allusion,etc.). The symbolic potential of mythologems is extremely high. In Yeatss poetics the usage of mythologems can be considered asthe influence of esoteric doctrines with their syncretism and polycultural orientation. Yeats resorts to Celtic pagan legends, ancientGreek and Roman mythology, Christianity, Taoism and Buddhism. As for the signified of the esoteric element, it is represented bythe chief mystic motives of the analysed poetry. Yeats touches upon the following problems, connected with the esoteric cosmogony,ethics and practice: 1) the interaction between the single and the multiple, the small and the great; 2) the sacralisation of beauty,visual harmony and words, which are considered to be the instruments of creating beauty (the latter is understood as the key to thetruth and the gist of things); 3) the self-improvement by means of self-identification and autotransformation; 4) the search for theguide or teacher (this refers to the doctrine of Pythagoreanism, according to which the truth can never be learned without theteachers instruction); 5) the desire for the other reality where true perfection and harmony can be achieved.

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