In his youth, Pasternak showed a deep interest in philosophy, and, in particular, in neo-Kantianism. Elena Glazova's book is the first comprehensive study devoted to the influence of these activities on the writer's early prose. The author boldly revises R. Jacobson's idea about Pasternak's predominant metonymy and shows how, reflecting the writer's philosophical knowledge, metaphors form a semantic network of his prose - this is manifested in the careful construction of images of time and space, light and darkness, the limit and the infinite. Philosophical ideas are melted into ways of perceiving the world, into a sophisticated impressionistic self-reflection, which distinguishes Pasternak from his contemporaries - symbolists, acmeists and futurists. Combining detailed philological analysis and systematic philosophical generalization, this study is addressed to all readers interested in an integrative approach to Pasternak’s work and the intellectual and artistic quest of his era. Elena Glazova is a professor of Russian literature at Emory University (Atlanta, USA). Copyright © 2013 The Ohio State University. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher.