Russian Literature in the Nineteenth by Rupen Ghosh.docx

8/16/2019 Russian Literature in the Nineteenth by Rupen Ghosh.docx

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Russian Literature in the Nineteenth-Century – TheGolden Age

by Rupen Ghosh on Friday, November 4, 2011 at 2:29pm

“Pushkin has been to the literature of his country and its modes of feelingand imagination more than Dante to the Italians or Goethe to the Germans,and far more than Shakespeare to the English.” Isaiah erlin in hisessay! "#ussian $iterature% &he Great 'entury"

“(e all come out from Gogol)s *+ercoat - yodor Dostoye+sky

At the beginning of the nineteenth!entury, "hen Russiaburst upon the stage of #uropean history as one of thegreat po"ers after the defeat of Napo$eon, the Russians"ere "ide$y per!eived in %estern #urope as ba!&"ard,more Asiati! than #uropean' (he reasons are not far tosee&' A$$ through the )rst ha$f of the !entury as it hadbeen in the past, the poor Russian peasants "ere treatedas serfs, as feuda$ property and even traded $i&e s$aves,

$iving under e*treme$y distressed !onditions, "hi!h "ereeven "orse than those of the peasants of medieva$%estern #urope' (hese unfortunate masses earned theirfreedom in 1+1, remar&ab$y pre!eding the Ameri!aneman!ipation of b$a!&s, "ho had su-ered e.ua$$y "orseatro!ities and e*p$oitation, by t"o years' /u!h before thevi!torious ossa!&s rode through the streets of aris in1+1 after the defeat and abdi!ation of Napo$eon, Fren!h!ivi$i3ation had $eft a deeper mar& upon Russians' imi$ar"as German $iterary in5uen!e "hi!h "as .uite de!isive inshaping the minds of the Russian e$ites' (he Russianaristo!ra!y had an un$imited !apa!ity for assimi$ation of some of the )nest ideas of German romanti!ism "hi!h

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5ooded Russia and the e-e!t "as .uite bene)!ent to thegro"th of its arts and $iterature'

(o go ba!& a $itt$e, the nobi$ity of Russia had $oo&ed to the

%est for idea$s and ideas and for !u$ture, musi!, art and$iterature sin!e the ear$y 1+th entury, "hen eter theGreat had instituted a series of reforms "ith a vie" tomodernising the !ountry' (hey trave$$ed e*tensive$y in%estern #urope and adopted Fren!h as the $anguage of dis!ourse, mu!h $i&e #ng$ish had done !enturies before asa !ourt $anguage and the /us$im aristo!ra!y in 6ndia hadta&en to ersian to !arry po$ite !onversation and to

distinguish themse$ves from the masses' (he Russianaristo!ra!y "ho$ehearted$y too& to reading Fren!h and#ng$ish $iterature and phi$osophy, fo$$o"ed %estern!u$ture and eti.uettes and norms of high so!ia$ $ife, andgenera$$y !onsidered themse$ves as part of modern#urope, "hi!h distan!ed themse$ves further from themasses' 7ut mu!h to their !onsternation, many of the$ibera$ ideas "ere p$anted in the Russian soi$, "ith theresu$t that mu!h of the se!ondha$f of the !entury "as!hara!teri3ed by !onsiderab$e ferment and revo$utionarytensions, u$timate$y !u$minating in the 8!tober revo$utionin 191'

After eter, it "as the Germanborn (sarina atherine theGreat, "ho reigned from 12 to 19, and "as &no"n tohave !orresponded "ith o$taire, mu!h $i&e the russianmonar!h, Frederi!& the great Frederi!& and o$taire "ere

&no"n to have !$ose but turbu$ent re$ationship' atherinhad ideas about ma&ing !hanges in the government andso!iety on the basis of the prin!ip$es of #n$ightenment,but her p$ans for $ibera$ reforms "ere resisted by thevested interests and she s$o"$y re$apsed into auto!ra!y' (o her !redit, she !arried on the tradition of Russia

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adopting and absorbing some of the )nest traditions of "estern !u$ture, "hi!h t"o generations $ater hadprofound in5uen!e on Russian $iterature, e*!ept for abrief period of Napo$eon;s invasion of 1+12, "hen the

5o" of ideas "as interrupted'

in!e eter the Great "ho be$ievedin the peasant !ommune, "ith a $ife of shared o"nership,"hi!h they be$ieved must prevai$ throughout the "iderso!iety'

(he nineteenth !entury a$so "itnessed a$ternative so!ia$do!trines e$u!idated and de$ineated by su!h Russianradi!a$s as A$e*ander ?er3en, /i&hai$ 7a&unin, eter@ropot&in and others' 8ne of the most outstandinginte$$e!tua$s and so!ia$ thin&ers of that era "as A$e*ander?er3en, "ho is "ide$y des!ribed as the founder of Russian

so!ia$ism' eep$y moved by the e!embrist movement of 1+2, he provided the inte$$e!tua$ foundations for thedeve$opment of so!ia$ism and a$so $ibera$ism' ?is "ritingsin5uen!ed an entire generation of Russians desirous of $ibera$ reforms and maBor !hanges in the so!iety andsystem of government' ?er3en founded the uni.ue$y

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Russian phi$osophy of Dpeasant so!ia$ism; "hi!h be!ame&no"n as Narodni!hestvo =trans$ated into #ng$ish asDopu$ism;>'

(he de)ning moment of 19th!entury Russian history"as the eman!ipation of the serfs in 1+1' 6t mar&ed thebeginning of the end of !ontro$ over the po"er stru!tureby the Russia;s $anded gentry' (hough it freed thepeasantry from the bondages of serfdom and improved tosome e*tent their so!ioe!onomi! !onditions, the so!ia$tensions "ere not abated, despite A$e*ander66;sintentionsE the $ast .uarter of the !entury "itnessed

in!reasing ferment and turbu$en!e' ears of servitude and oppression had ingrained in thepoor Russian peasantry and other under!$ass a &ind of ami*ture of obse.uiousness and hope$essness that mademost of them resign to their fates, symptomati! of afeuda$ un!hanging so!iety' (he Russian re$igiousphi$osopher Ni&o$ai 7erdyaev "rote in an arti!$e in 191D(he sy!ho$ogy of the Russian eop$e (he ou$ of

Russia; Russia is a !ountry of unbe$ievab$e servi$ity andterrib$e humi$ity, a !ountry $a!&ing any !ons!iousness of the rights of the individua$, and "hi!h fai$s to stand up forthe dignity of the individua$HI ome !riti!s !$aim thisreveren!e to"ard the superior and the po"erfu$ "asan inherited 7y3antine trait the fee$ing of obse.uiousness, fa"ning and servi$ity'

(he 19th !entury Russian $iterature, a mirror of the so!ia$rea$ities of the time, re5e!ted in amp$e measure this!hara!teristi! trait of servi$ity and humi$ity among thepoor peasants and on the other hand the opu$en!e,grandeur and the !u$tured $ifesty$e of the o$igar!hs, for"hom po"er and authority !ame natura$$y' (his une.ua$

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po"er re$ations found its e!ho mu!h $ater in the "ritingsof /a*im Gor&y in the se!ond de!ade of the t"entieth!entury "hen he "rote in his boo&


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and travai$s amidst the tumu$tuous ba!&ground of (saristRussia' %hat a$so stood out as the a!hievement of thisage of prose, from the 1+40s to the 1+90s, "as Russianrea$ism and depi!tion of harsh rea$ities and the va!uous

and pompous $ife sty$e of the aristo!rati! !$ass' (hesearing prose "ith biting satire he$d up a mirror to the$and o"ning privi$eged gentry as a !a$$ to their !ons!ien!eof the terrib$e rea$ity of divide bet"een the t"oirre!on!i$ab$e !$asses' espite most of the greats of Russian $iterature be$onging to the upper e!he$ons of theso!iety the nobi$ity and the $anded gentry their "ritingsdemonstrated so!ia$ !ons!ien!e and depi!ted the harsh

rea$ities of high$y une.ua$ e*isten!e "ith sensitivity and!ompassion and he$d up a mirror to the so!iety'

6n this paper, 6 propose to dis!uss, in brief, the master$y!reations of ush&in, Gogo$, (urgenev, ostoevs&y and (o$stoy, the greatest names in Russian $iterature' %ebegin this Bourney, "hi!h may not !$aim to be a tour defor!e but shou$d hopefu$$y sustain the interest of thereaders, "ith Alexander Pushkin.

Alexander Pushkin: The greatest of the Russianliterary giants.

6t "as said of ush&in, !onsidered as /o3art of Russian$iterature, Oisten to it on!e as a pie!e of musi! and you"i$$ sense the $inguisti! genius of ush&in'I ush&in is!onsidered as the greatest poet and "riter Russia hasprodu!ed' ?e is to Russian $iterature, "hat ha&espeare isto #ng$ish, Goethe is to German and ante is to 6ta$ianand may be Gha$ib is to Jrdu and (agore is to 7enga$i' 6nfa!t, ush&in is mu!h more' #dmund %i$son says of ush&in ONo poet surpasses ush&inPnot even antePforthe speed, point, and neatness of his narrativeO'


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?is greatest pie!e of "or& is the nove$ in verse, #ugene8negin' et in 1+20s imperia$ Russia, #ugene 8neginfo$$o"s the emotions and destiny of the prin!ipa$!hara!ters, 8negin and (atyana, and ho" fate ordains

other"ise' (he beautifu$$y to$d rea$isti! nove$ in $yri!poem form, #ugene 8negin is the story of a Russianaristo!rat, a young dandy mu!h $i&e ush&in in hisattitude, habits and traits, "ho has found his $ife to beempty and devoid of any amount of p$easure, despite thebeauty and "ea$th that surrounds him' (rying to dis!over"hat $ife ho$ds for him and "hy he shou$d go on $iving,#ugene moves to the !ountryside and meets (atyana,

young and passionate and an e!!entri! !ountry maiden"ho fa$$s in $ove "ith #ugene' he sends a passionate$etter but is !rue$$y reBe!ted and given a so$a!e that they!ou$d be friends and not $overs' (atyana is !restfa$$en and)nds the "or$d !rumb$ing' 6n bet"een, reminis!ent of ush&in


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destiny' 7oth the !hara!ters are doomed' A tragi! storyabout $ove, inno!en!e and heartbrea&, this beautifu$nove$ in verse is an evergreen !$assi! even 1 yearsafter it "as "ritten'

#ugene 8negin is the master "or& of the poet "homRussians regarded as the fountainhead of their $iterature' (his "as ush&in' At its deepest and most

painfu$, it is a sensation of great spiritua$ anguish, often"ithout any spe!i)! !ause' At $ess morbid $eve$s it is adu$$ a!he of the sou$, a $onging "ith nothing to $ong for, asi!& pining, a vague rest$essness, menta$ throes, andyearning' 6n parti!u$ar !ases it may be the desire forsomebody or something spe!i)!, nosta$gia, $ovesi!&ness'At the $o"est $eve$ it grades into ennui, boredom, skuka.

ush&in


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ush&in;s sympathies $ay "ith the fai$ed 1+2 e!embristmovement demanding a !onstitution for Russia and some$ibera$ reforms, if not an end to (sarist auto!ra!y' Luiteobvious$y, the insurre!tion "as !rushed "ith the typi!a$

heavy hand' ?e "rote a stirring poem 6n far iberia;sdeepest soi$I, as a tribute to the brave men "ho "eree*i$ed to iberia' ush&in;s poeti! message !ontinued toinspire generations of idea$isti! young men and "as onenote of optimism amidst g$oom, heartbrea& and despair'


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they fe$t that his po$iti!a$ vie"s "ere antitheti!a$ tobourgeois $iterature and !u$ture'

Gogol – "the father of odern Russian realis"

%e a$$ !ome out from Gogo$;s 8ver!oatO, that is ho"ostoyevs&y vie"ed the great in5uen!e Ni&o$ai Gogo$ hadon eminent Russian greats of $iterature of the 19th!entury and $ater, Bust as A$e*ander ush&in had as mu!hho$d on the imagination on most of the men of $etters inRussia and #urope, a $itt$e ear$ier' A giant of the natura$s!hoo$ of Russian $iterary rea$ism, Ni&o$ai Gogo$, born in aminor aristo!rati! fami$y in J&raine, is immorta$i3ed by

su!h "or&s $i&e Dead ou$s;, !onsidered as one of thegreatest masterpie!es, D(he Government 6nspe!tor; andD(aras 7u$ba;, and, of !ourse, D(he 8ver!oat; or D(he$oa&'; 6n the Government 6nspe!tor, Gogo$ bri$$iant$ysatired po$iti!a$ !orruption in Russia at that time andrevea$ed greed and avari!e at a$$ $eve$s of bureau!ra!yand the ru$ing !$ass' 7e$onging to the J&ranian gentryfrom his mother;s side, Gogo$ sho"ed his deep interest in

J&ranian nationa$ism, "hen he !reated (aras 7u$ba,based on the history of J&rainian ossa!&s'

ush&in "as Gogo$;s inspiration' ?o" possessing anover!oat !ou$d transform an impoverished government!$er& in the Russian !apita$ of those days of t' etersburgis vivid$y portrayed in the "or$d famous short story, (he8ver!oat' Jnab$e to bear the Beers of his fe$$o"!o$$eagues due to his o$d tattered over!oat, theprotagonist goes on to a!.uire a ne" one "ith greatdiQ!u$ty' ?o" possessing a !$oa& !ou$d transform aperson from an introverted, nonentity "ith noe*pe!tations of so!ia$ or materia$ su!!ess to one "hosese$festeem and e*pe!tations are raised by one mere

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over!oat is bri$$iant$y des!ribed by Gogo$' ?e is sudden$ynoti!ed and is !omp$imented' 7ut his hopes get .ui!&$ydashed as the !oat is snat!hed a"ay one night "hen he"as returning home'

(he rest "hat fo$$o"s is a tragedy' u!h "ere the bruta$and su-o!ating times that unab$e to !ope "ith his $ossand !omp$ete$y over!ome, he ma&es an un5atteringremar&, "hi!h dra"s su!h sharp rebu&e and s!o$dingfrom the genera$, "hom he had gone to meet in!onne!tion "ith the $oss of the !oat, that he !omes home,over!ome by the fear of retribution, deve$ops high fever

and dies' (here !ou$d not be a more damning indi!tmentof the repressive and fearinsti$$ed era of the midnineteenth !entury in a de!adent and ba!&"ard so!iety$i&e Russia and the story $eaves one "ith intense sadness'

(he greatest of his !reations, ead ou$s, "ritten in 1+42is a satirisation of serfdom and is per!eived by many asthe )rst Smodern< Russian nove$' 6t $ed to a !a$$ for reformand freedom for serfs from !enturies of bondage' 7ut this

"as not "hat Gogo$ "as e*pe!ting and in response hesho"ed, in his !orresponden!es "ith his friends, his highregard for the estab$ishment and patriar!ha$ Russian "ayof $ife' (his understandab$y !aused severedisappointment among the radi!a$s "ho "ere e*pe!tingGogo$ to be so!ia$$y progressive to Boin "ith others in!a$$ing for abo$ishing s$avery' Gogo$;s reputation "asdented and many of the radi!a$ fa!tions did not ta&e very

&ind$y to Gogo$;s defen!e of s$avery'

Turgene! - knon for realisti# $ortrayal of e!eryday life

6van (urgenev !ame from a "ea$thy $ando"ning fami$yand had the bene)t of $ibera$ edu!ation' ?e "as perhaps

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the most %estern oriented of a$$ the great Russian"riters' ?is best &no"n "or& DFathers and ons,!onsidered as a masterpie!e, refers to the re$ationsbet"een fathers and sons and the gro"ing s!hism and

divide bet"een the t"o generations of Russians'

(he main protagonist, 7a3arov, a nihi$ist "ho reBe!ts theo$d order, says famous$y Don!e you


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"hen you


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"as a no"here man, in the nether 3one, ha$f#uropeanand ha$fRussianE he )ts into neither'

avrets&y, the main protagonist, a $anded gentry and a

nob$eman, and some say that he "as mode$$ed after (urgenev an a$ter ego "ho had $ived in the "estreturns home to )nd himse$f a strangerE he is the resu$t of this system' ?a$f serf and ha$f nobi$ity, he )ts into neither'?e has a$most been indo!trinated that that everything"orth"hi$e in $ife, everything nob$e, everything higherhas its genesis and origin in #urope, so he goes there anddoesn;t )t in' Returning home to his neg$e!ted property,

he )nds himse$f $ost' (he sense of $oss and of unfu$)$$edpromise, poignant$y !aptured by (urgenev, re5e!ted hisunder$ying !on!ern that $ife is indeed g$oomy andme$an!ho$i! and that humanity is not destined toe*perien!e happiness for $ong, e*!ept as somethingephemera$ and for a brief period, and that toofortuitous$y'

(he nove$ ends on a sad note "hen fate intervenes and

avrests&y is unab$e to be united "ith i3a, to "hom hehad been dra"n on returning home' i3a, heartbro&enbut si$ent$y &eeping her emotions to herse$f, Boins a!onvent at a young age and spends the rest of her as anun' avrests&y "ho had ear$ier been betrayed by his"ife "hen she had deve$oped an a-air "ith one of hervisitors in aris, $oses out again to start $ife ane", and in apoignant moment, visits i3a at the !onvent for the $ast

time and !at!hes a g$impse of her for a brief momentEtheir eyes meet for a 5eeting se!ond, her $ips .uiver, sheseems to be betraying her emotions for a 5eetingmoment, but steadies herse$f, and then she $o"ers hereyes and moves a"ay' (he !riti!s a!!$aimed the nove$ asa pie!e of great $iterary merit, as the ideas of $ibera$ism,

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demo!ra!y and moderni3ation "hi!h inspired a se!tion of Russian thin&ing !$asses and radi!a$s, "ere a$$transp$anted into the soi$ from the "est and these veryidea$s !reated the ground for demand for more reforms

and for representative government'

%ostoe!sky – aster in dealing ith $rofound$sy#hologi#al& oral ' $hiloso$hi#al (uestions

(urning to Fyodor ostoevs&y, his psy!ho$ogi!a$penetration into the human sou$ had a profound in5uen!eon the 20th !entury nove$' 6n 1+40s, he Boined a group of utopian so!ia$ists, "as arrested and senten!ed to death'

?e had a fortuitous es!ape as the senten!e "as!ommuted at the $ast moment to imprisonment of hard$abour in iberia'

6n his masterpie!e, rime and unishment, Rash&o$ni&ov,a destitute and impoverished student, perpetua$$y indebt, moving around aim$ess$y through the s$ums of t'etersburg, !ommits a murder, of an o$d "oman, a

pa"nbro&er, and then another, of her sister, "ithout anytinge of remorse or regret' ?e imagines himse$f to be agreat man a!ting for a higher purpose "ithout beingbound by any !onventiona$ $a" of the so!iety or anymora$ity "hi!h governs its a!tions' ?e be$ieved thatsuperior and e*traordinary peop$e have a right to !ommitany !rime if the purpose is to improve humanity' 6n hismind, there "ere enough Busti)!ations of these heinousmurders' 7ut as he is re$ent$ess$y pursued by a suspi!iouspo$i!e inspe!tor, he )nds himse$f in!reasing$y tortured bythe gro"ing voi!e of his !ons!ien!e and )nds the $ongarm of the $a" !at!hing up on him' 8verburdened andra!&ed by gui$t and remorse, he surrenders and admits tohis !rime' (here is no one to o-er any so$a!e or

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redemption, e*!ept the poor onya, "ho had been for!edto prostitution and se$$ing her body to raise money for herdestitute fami$y' enten!ed to $ong years of prison iniberia, he begins his regeneration and redemption' 6n his

remorse and emotiona$ and psy!ho$ogi!a$ trauma andadmission of gui$t, $ies his redemption' Rash&o$ni&ovremains a treasured $iterary !hara!ter in this tragi! andpsy!ho$ogi!a$ masterpie!e, "hi!h remains unsurpassed inde$ineating a !omp$e* interp$ay of emotions, passions,$ove, gui$t and remorse'

6n D7rothers @arama3ov;, the murder of bruta$ $ando"ner

Fyodor @arama3ov !hanges the $ives of his sonsirrevo!ab$y and foreverE As the investigation and tria$!ontinue and dra"s to a !$ose "ith the gui$ty identi)ed,tensions bui$d up to e*p$ode' et against the ba!&drop of moderni3ing Russia, ostoyevs&y;s dar& master$y "or&, apassionate phi$osophi!a$ nove$, "ith mora$ strugg$esregarding faith, doubt and reason, revea$s a "or$d "herethe $ines bet"een inno!en!e and !rime and gui$t, virtueand evi$ b$ur'

ostoyevs&y "as in5uen!ed by re$igion and phi$osophy inhis $ife and ta&ing up (he 7rothers @arama3ov re5e!tedhis faith and in!$ination to"ards his o"n re$igious be$ief' (he nove$ gre" out of ostoevs&y being in5uen!ed by theRussian phi$osopher and thin&er Ni&o$ai Fyodorov;sadvo!ating a hristian do!trine of sons redeeming thesins of their fathers and the be$ief in the possibi$ity that in

this earth and $ife itse$f there !ou$d be human redemptionand resurre!tion' 7ut the tragedy of parri!ide in thismasterpie!e is !omp$ete$y antitheti!a$ to this do!trine asthe brothers do not resurre!t their father but are ratherinvo$ved and !omp$i!it in his murder' 6t is a fas!inatingspiritua$ drama "hi!h de$ves deep$y into the ethi!a$

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debates and "e )nd that everyone;s faith in humanity istested' igmund Freud !a$$ed it Othe most magni)!entnove$ everI and this phi$osophi!a$ masterpie!e "asa!!$aimed by su!h thin&ers as A$bert #instein, ud"ig

%ittgenstein, /artin ?eidegger and others'

Tolstoy - the orld)s greatest no!elist and areligious $hiloso$her and $a#i*st

eo (o$stoy, the greatest of the Russian Nove$ists, isimmorta$i3ed in the "or&s of %ar and ea!e and Anna

@arenina, among others' ?is other "or&s of reputein!$ude D(he eath of 6van 6$yi!h; and D(he Resurre!tion;' 7ut his reputation a$so rests on his being a re$igiousphi$osopher and reformer and as one of the greatestmora$ for!e in the "or$d in the se!ond ha$f of thenineteenth !entury' ?e remains the best &no"n Russian"riter in the "or$d' ?is greatest !ontemporary "riters andeven riva$s, ostoevs&y and (urgenev, a!&no"$edged his

suprema!y and $iterary genius'Jpon reading a Fren!h trans$ation of


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Rosemary #dmonds, "ho trans$ated many of the!e$ebrated Russian "or&s, summed up so beautifu$$y theessen!e of (o$stoy;s %ar and ea!e: %ar and ea!e is ahymn to $ife' 6t is the 6$iad and 8dyssey of Russia' 6ts

message is that the on$y fundamenta$ ob$igation of manis to be in tune "ith $ifeE it is !entra$ theme of !ontinuityof $ife' 6t is a !omp$ete pi!ture of human $ifeE a !omp$etepi!ture of the Russia of the dayE a !omp$ete pi!ture of everything in "hi!h peop$e p$a!e their happiness andgreatness, their grief and humi$iation' A$$ the historian;sa!!ount of the fatefu$ year of 1+12 ring ho$$o" in!omparison "ith the vita$ity, the a!tua$ity of (o$stoy;s

tab$eau of Russia during the great Napo$eoni! "ar' (hat is%ar and ea!e' (o$stoy "rites:


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restri!tions en!hain her and strangu$ate her $ove' he hasto submit to the hypo!risies and su-o!ating restri!tionsof so!iety, imposed on "omen ever sin!e human!ivi$i3ation embar&ed on a sett$ed form' et against the

fast !hanging so!iety of nineteenth!entury Russia andamidst po$iti!a$ and so!ia$ upheava$, the tragedy is p$ayedout "ith the $ove a-air s!anda$i3ing so!iety and aftermu!h Bea$ousy and bitterness, ends "ith Anna @arenina!ommitting sui!ide'

6n !ontrast to this tragi! $ove story, "e have (o$stoy;sa$ter ego, evin, "ho strives to )nd !ontentment and

pea!e and true meaning to $ife' (o$stoy used the nove$ toe*p$ain some of his o"n phi$osophi!a$ out$oo& regardingthe peasants and $abouring !$ass, marriage, agri!u$tureand po$iti!s' evin, the en$igthened $ando"ner, tries outradi!a$ reform of the peasantry by staying "ith the!ommon peasants and toi$ing hard, e*!hanging his id$e,arti)!ia$ and se$)sh e*isten!e "ith that of "or&ing on soi$'7ut his fe$$o" $ando"ners, a boorish group "hi!h distrustsas "e$$ as are fearfu$ of evin


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praising (o$stoy as an artist of highest repute, made $ightof (o$stoy as a thin&erE rather, he dismissed his do!trineof mora$ perfe!tibi$ity and nonresistan!e to evi$' (o him, (o$stoy represented the aristo!rati! $and o"ning !$asses

and his instin!ts represented that of $anded gentry, mu!hmore than the !on!erns he e*pressed in his nove$s for thepoor peasantry'

6n short, to enin, (o$stoy remained a po$iti!a$ rea!tionaryand that he never abandoned the re)nement, attitudeand sense of superiority of the $anded gentry ho"evermu!h his $ater humanitarian !onvi!tions and !on!erns $ed

him to support and advo!ate the !ause of underprivi$egedpeasants and "or&ers' (o$stoy, of !ourse, abhorredvio$en!e a$$ his $ife and had serious reservations onso!ia$ism and this is "hat he "rote in his diary: o!ia$ists"i$$ never destroy poverty and the ine.ua$ity of !apa!ities' (he strongest and most inte$$igent "i$$ a$"aysma&e use of the "ea&er and more stupid'''' #ven if thatta&es p$a!e "hi!h /ar* predi!ted, then the on$y thingthat "i$$ happen is that despotism "i$$ be passed on'Oespite (o$stoy;s aristo!rati! and privi$eged upbringingand his overbearing attitude to"ard the peasants for the)rst )fty years of $ife "hen most of his great )!tion "as"ritten, his reputation )rm$y rests on the spiritua$upheava$ of his $ater years, "hen he made a !omp$etebrea& "ith the privi$eged e$ites and "or&ed so mu!h forthe eman!ipation of the poor peasants' And (o$stoy;s end!ame in a tragi! "ay "hen short$y before his death, he

$eft his home to rea$i3e the dream of ma&ing a !ommon!ause "ith the toi$ing peasants and staying "ith them,"hom he had !ome to regard as Othe )nest and mostmora$ !$ass of peop$e in Russia'

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As to "ho "as the greatest, (o$stoy or ostoyevs&y,be!ame a subBe!t matter of intense debate at one timeand sti$$ !ontinues to divide the $iterati' Oostoyevs&yfo!uses his attention on painfu$ prob$ems, on the dar&

side of the human sou$' (o$stoy is the opposite' ?edefends fundamenta$ va$ues su!h as $ove, friendship andfami$y re$ations' ?e gives positive ans"ers to the.uestions man&ind is as&ing' 6n this sense he gives morehope,O says the "riter


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has !ontinued to gro" and today, despite his antimodernism, he is again a great $iterary treasure, reveredas a !$assi!, every"here and among a$$ se!tions'

ush&in and others $i&e Gogo$, (urgenev, ostoyevs&y, (o$stoy, he&hov, Gor&i "i$$ be remembered for ever fortheir $iterary !reations that are mar&ed by !ompassionand humanity and an enormous understanding of thehuman traditions and !onditions' (heir "or&s "rest$e "iththe universa$ and time$ess .uestions of human!onditions, of $ife, $ove and death' (hey are, in theu$timate ana$ysis, remar&ab$e human do!uments'

(he nineteenth!entury is "ide$y !onsidered as theDGo$den Age; of Russian $iterature, "hen it obtained itstradition, history and distin!t $anguage' O(he !entury of !$assi!sO W that;s ho" "e !a$$ the period of these$egendary "riters' (heir panorami! s"eep of so!iopo$iti!a$ and e!onomi! rea$ities on a $arger $ands!ape,their broad phi$osophi!a$ and psy!ho$ogi!a$ !ontents, thesheer depth of emotions, so varied and so ri!h, their

p$a!ing the !hara!ters and protagonists in a $arger!onte*t ma&e Russian $iterature so uni.ue, sounforgettab$e and so time$ess' (hese great "or&s of artare universa$, trans!end human barriers and defy timeand spa!e to rea!h and appea$ to every sensitive sou$,and set against the ba!&ground of auto!ra!y, serfdom,po$iti!a$ turmoi$ deprivations of myriad &inds, assumetheir uni.ueness, "hen great themes poured forth

seeming$y "ithout end, and "hen at a time, Russia "asstriving to brea& free from !enturies of ba!&"ardness,poverty, e*p$oitation and ine.ua$ity to emerge intomodernity' From this turmoi$ and ferment, emerged animmorta$ $iterature' As they say, in $iterature, Russiansindeed have no para$$e$T

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Notes and Referen#es:

1' 6ntrodu!tion to (o$stoy;s "ritings by #rnest immons

2' Romanti!ism and the 19th !entury iterature W an essay

C' oems on imprisonment and freedom by A$e*ander ush&in

4' ush&in, the (sar and the e!embrist Revo$t W a short essay

' N enin An Appraisa$ of eo (o$stoy

' ?istory of Russia in the 19th !entury W %i&ipedia sour!es

' DRussian iterature W (he Great entury;, an essay by 6saiah7er$in

+' ostoevs&y by Andre Gide

9' #*i$e and the e!embrist /ovement W an essay

10' (o$stoy;s %ar and ea!e and Anna @arenina

11' Fyodor ostoevs&y;s rime and unishment and (he7rothers @arama3ov

12' (urgenev;s Fathers and ons and (he Nest of the Gentry

1C' N' Gogo$;s (he 8ver!oat

14' onathan imber$y W Russia: A ourney to the ?eart of aand and its eop$e

1' Jntime$y (houghts by /a*im Gor&y 1911+'

1' %i&ipedia $in&s on ostoevs&y, (urgenev and (o$stoy

2C

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