DREAM AS A TOOL OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS IN RUSSIAN FICTION

The article examines the artistic functions of dreams as a means of psychological analysis in Russian fiction. The study focuses on the role of dream episodes in revealing the inner world of literary characters, their moral conflicts, subconscious fears, and emotional experiences. The research is based on the novels Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, and The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. The methodology combines textual, interpretative, and comparative analysis. The findings demonstrate that dream episodes perform several interconnected functions, including psychological, symbolic, prophetic, and compositional ones. Dreams serve as a unique narrative mechanism that allows writers to represent unconscious mental processes and deepen the philosophical dimension of literary works.