Идеи неоплатонизма и Дионисия Ареопагита в фильме «Андрей Рублев»

Abstract

Фильм Андрея Тарковского «Андрей Рублев» (1971; первый вариант — «Страсти по Андрею», 1966) представлен в статье в непривычном для киноведения ракурсе: с точки зрения параллелей между судьбой великого русского иконописца в ее кинематографической версии и некоторыми философскими концепциями Дионисия Ареопагита, оказавшего влияние на развитие духовной культуры русского православия. Для взлета на вершину святости и постижения истины необходимо пройти через унижение и падение, грех, обет молчания и возвращение к высотам духа. Эти существенные для неоплатонизма моменты, по мнению автора статьи, акцентированы режиссером в ключевых эпизодах жизненного пути Андрея Рублева. The purpose of this study is to reveal elements of Neoplatonism and the ideology of Dionysius the Areopagite in the structure of the film “Andrei Rublyov” by Andrei Tarkovsky. Dionysius the Areopagite is known as a Syrian Christianity spokesman, an ascetic who authored literary works in the Neoplatonic atmosphere at the end of the 5th century. The metaphysical principles of Neoplatonic philosophy postulate the ideas of the “One,” “Intellect,” and “Soul” that are based on the ideology of Plotinus. The “One” in Neoplatonic philosophy is a transcendental and limitless being, the source of all creation and the first principle. “Intellect” is the divine mind first emanated from the “One,” and the “Soul” is emanated from the “Intellect”. And lastly, the lowest substance of the being is produced. The first evidence that is presented in the film in the introductory scene, when a farmer flying across the sky in a hot-air balloon crashes down to earth along with the balloon. By recreating an era when the hot-air balloon wasn’t even invented and through the image of the crash, the director introduces an image that corresponds to the “emanation” in the ideology of Dionysius the Areopagite, who said “In the creationism of Neoplatonism, all creation is emanated from the One, and this emanation is a type of corruption and imperfection”. The opening scene of crashing and collapse down to earth symbolizes the escape from the monastery to the world and from the world of ideas to the world of reality.

The wandering of Andrei Rublyov shown in the latter parts of the film can be viewed as an analogy to the period of “purification” that is presented in the philosophy of Dionysius the Areopagite. In the film the three phases of advancing toward divinity begin with “self-purification” then “illumination” and finally the “union” of becoming one with the ultimate existence. The director shows Rublyov achieving top artistic heights through suffering, pain, and artistic skepticism. In particular, the representative episode that demonstrates the divine equivalence is the one where Rublyov is gazing at the boy Boris who is making a bell on behalf of his dead father. Here, Andrei Tarkovsky uses the boy who inspires national spirit through casting a bell to foreshadow Andrei’s victory over his own fears and ignorance based on faith and strength.