Mark Twain in the Russian Pre-Revolutionary Periodical. Part 2
Journal Title: Studia Litterarum - Year 2017, Vol 2, Issue 3
Abstract
This article deals with the analysis of interpretation of the works by Mark Twain, famous American author, in the Russian pre-revolutionary periodical press (1872–1916). The objects of research are critical articles, essays, reviews, correspondences, introductions to publications of Twain’s short stories and novels, obituaries, and other materials printed in central and provincial magazines and newspapers. Perception of Twain in Russia was contingent on many factors including political and cultural situation in the country, state of social thought and literary criticism, newspaper and magazine conjuncture etc., always remaining polysemantic and conflicting. In different times, in the years of democratic rising or reaction critics looked for something in Twain’s works that corresponded to the spirit of their time and helped solve ideological and aesthetic problems. Twain had reputation of either a “pure humorist” or a great writer, philosopher, and moralist. Democrats, liberals, conservatives, feminists, adepts of realistic or naturalistic trends in art discussed Twain’s works that became a source of knowledge about the United States and inspired polemics about Russia’s further development. Twain was highly esteemed as the author of books for children and young people. Yet his works that criticized monarchism and imperialism were often ignored or abridged. The history of Twain’s interpretation in the Russian press serves as evidence of the fact that perception of foreign literature is a dynamic and bumpy process, repeating itself and moving backwards but also getting to deeper levels of meanings.
Authors and Affiliations
E. А. Stetsenko
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP26170
- DOI 10.22455/2500-4247-2017-2-3-166-189
- Views 281
- Downloads 19
In this Light Church — Korney is the Hierarch: Recurring Images in the Poetry of Korney Chukovsky and His Contemporaries
The article examines a poetic portrait of Korney Chukovsky. By introducing the figure of the storyteller into several of his tales, the author launched a tradition of representing himself as a fictional character. Read...
EPICUREANISM AND CHRISTIANITY IN HISTORICAL NOVELS VALERIUS. A ROMAN STORY BY J.G. LOCKHART AND THE EPICUREAN BY T. MOORE
The article examines historical novels by J.G. Lockhart and T. Moore hitherto under- studied in Russia. It analyzes main principles and techniques of historical narrative in these novels; the influence of Walter Scott an...
The Plot and Its Modifications in the Temporal and Generic “Space”
With the loss of mythological beliefs, traditional plots become decompensated by their new interpretations. For example, when a tribe borrows a plot from a neighboring tribe but does not share the beliefs of the authen...
Why Was a Baby Devil Born: The Legend about a Blasphemous Communist, Monstrous Births, and the Limits of Religious Didactics
In 1923, the Russian ethnologist and archaeologist Vasily Smirnov published an article entitled “A Devil is Born. (Contemporary Legend)”. The article dealt with an unusual demonological legend that had appeared short t...
Reexamining Two Mythological Ballads from Christine de Pizan’s Cent Balades
The article analyzes two mythological ballads from Christine de Pizan’s early collection Cent Balades (1399–1411). I propose to interpret them against allegorical commentary on Ovid’s Metamorphoses, a poem Ovide morali...