INTERPRETING THE DEGRADATION OF HERMANN’S HUMANITY IN PUSHKIN’S “THE QUEEN OF SPADES”
This paper analyzes the tragedy of Herman, the main character of Pushkin’s novel “The Queen of Spades”, and deciphers the degradation of his human nature under the influence of money-lust. The motive of greed is considered within the framework of the process of the emergence of Russian capitalism, as well as universal human constants, in particular the category of humanity. The main principle of the study is the contextual analysis of fragments of the story, reflecting the stages of the main character's journey from an extremely restrained and rational Russian German to a selfish common man, the “money knight”. The madness of the hero, the final stage of his loss of humanity, is interpreted as the result of a pact with the devil.