“DOUBT OVER CERTAINTY”: FREE INDIRECT SPEECH AS A MARKER OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CRISIS IN ROBERT HARRIS’S CONCLAVE

Abstract

The article addresses the lexical, grammatical and stylistic features of the functioning of free indirect speech (FIS) in Robert Harris’s novel Conclave. FIS emerges as a pivotal linguo-stylistic device in Robert Harris’s writing, primarily because it merges the detached perspective of a third-person narrator with Cardinal Lomeli’s intimate internal struggles. By using this dual-voice technique, Robert Harris adds psychological depth to the story, paving the way for a complex analysis of inner conflict and the breakdown of strict religious rules. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to examine free indirect speech not only as a syntactic phenomenon, but also as a powerful cognitive and stylistic tool for representing a character’s psychological drama and social criticism in contemporary English-language prose. The aim of this study is to explore how specific language features of free indirect speech are used in Robert Harris’s Conclave to illustrate Cardinal Lomeli’s state of mind. The objectives of the paper are as follows: to outline the concept of FIS, to reveal the peculiarities of the use of epistemic modality; to detect grammatical and stylistic markers of psychological crisis; and to statistically prove the prevalence of uncertainty in the text. The following research methods were used in this study: the descriptive method; the method of lexical-semantic and stylistic analysis; contextual-interpretative analysis; and the method of quantitative calculations and the comparison of the data obtained. The study pays particular attention to how syntactic fragmentation and lexical variety within FIS reflect the protagonist’s inner conflict against the backdrop of the Vatican environment. The results of the research indicate that markers of doubt, as well as the implicit complexity of the text, are the main linguistic mechanisms for representing a crisis of faith and a shift in religious worldview.