The series “Readings on the History and Theory of Culture”, published by the Institute of Higher Humanitarian Research of the Russian State University for the Humanities, introduces readers to the results of scientific work (sometimes only preliminary) carried out within the walls of the Institute. Most publications are based on reports given by at various seminars and scientific meetings of the IVGI. In addition to publishing materials from an all-institute seminar on the comparative study of cultures, the series includes thematic cycles of work carried out within the framework of more special research programs of the IVGI (“Literary and artistic archetypes and universals”, “Historical poetics”, etc.). In some cases, the texts of speeches related to the discussion of the problems raised in the published reports are also attached. This issue is based on the report of M. L. Andreev “Meta-plot in the Ostrovsky Theater”, read by the author at a seminar in the cycle “Historical Poetics”.