Talk:Russian literature
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Aleksandr Nekrasov, as far as I can gather ([1]), was a philogist and professor, and not a major figure in Russian literature. If the author meant Nikolai Nekrasov (whom I have just added), then please delete the name.
[edit] History
This article should really be developed and then moved to History of Russian literature, and the current page remain as more of a general introduction to the highlights of Russian literature itself. Comments welcome. -- Simonides 08:21, 20 Jul 2004 (UTC)
I think that a major problem with the article is the way in which it simply lumps together Russian literature after the Russian revolution, into one huge 'block.' (The article says that is was 'sovietized.') As I understand it, there was no continuity between the literature and art of the early Russian revolution, and that of the stalinist reaction of late 1920's onward. Compare Trotsky's (a leader of the revolution and high figure in the early govt) comment that
"Art, like science not only does not seek orders, but by its very essence, cannot tolerate them...Truly intellectual creation is incompatible with lies, hypocrisy and the spirit of conformity." (Trotsky: Art and Revolution. New York: Pathfinder, 2003.)
with that of the stalinist govt and their views on'socialist realism.'
Simply saying the 'soviet era' fails to consider what actually took place during this 'era,'and thus cannot explain Russia literature and its development during the last hundred of so years.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 130.88.185.101 • 01:04, 11 May 2006 (UTC)
- I basically agree. In one way though, there is a continuity. The beautiful earthiness and internal poetry of those authors who spanned both eras is identical. Only in the outward sense are their writings of after the 1920's different. It is only from the newer writers, just maturing in the 1920's, that one senses the ominous cheerfulness and wry stoicism of those who never knew the "Mother Russia" of Krylov and Paustovsky.
- Shykee 02:03, 20 June 2006 (UTC)shykee
[edit] Americentric point of view?
While I am not a trained specialist in Russian literature (and thus would hesitate to edit the article myself), I am a native speaker and am fairly well-read in Russian literature and criticism. My opinion of the article is that, in its current form, it is somewhat Americentric: the writers emphasized are those most respected in America, and many great authors who simply do not translate well (or have not been well-translated) into English are given less attention than they deserve, based on their influence in the development of Russian literature.
For example, while Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky are the most visible Russian novelists abroad, most Russian writers and intellectuals (e.g., Nabokov) would probably cite Gogol as a much stronger influence than Dostoyevsky, who is generally less respected in Russia than in America.
In poetry, Akhmatova was NOT the most influential poet of the silver age (and certainly not of lyricism, as her poetry is among the less lyrical of the major figures of the time), and was generally considered (by Russian poets) an excellent poet, but much less influential than, e.g., Madelstam, who does not translate well into English.
Sozhenitsin is a very well-known dissident, and I mean nothing against him when I say that as _literature_, his work has not been as influential as that of other writers. This is not to say that he does not belong in the article; but the emphasis on him seems rather stronger than would be proportional to his influence.
I hope that someone who is an expert in Russian literature will take heed of my plea and edit the article to reflect a point of view more proper to the Russian tradition as it appears from within, rather than from without.
-George
69.150.3.210 23:01, 23 December 2006 (UTC)
