The Poetics of Early Russian Literature
By (author) D.S. Likhachev Edited and translated by Christopher M. Arden-Close
Publication date:
13 March 2014Length of book:
376 pagesPublisher
Lexington BooksISBN-13: 9780739186428
This translation of Likhachev’s Poetika Drevnerusskoy Literatury (The Poetics of Early Russian Literature), provides a description of the basic themes of early (tenth to seventeenth century) Russian literature. Likhachev compares literary narrative with narrative used in the representational arts. Furthermore, Likhachev stresses the genre-based character of medieval Russian literature and shows how choice of style in medieval times depended on a genre with its own specific etiquette and how innovation was discouraged.
The text contrasts medieval abstraction and modern realism, as Likhachev shows how realisticness gradually breaks through in specific situations—such as those of princely crimes. Likhachev draws contrasts in three different areas: the basic stock of symbols and comparisons used in early Russian literature with those used in modern literature, artistic time in folklore and early Russian literature, and artistic space in folklore and early Russian literature. Likhachev traces the gradual development into modern artistic time through a comparison of the chronicle, the first Russian play, the seventeenth century writer Avvakum, and three modern authors, Goncharov, Dostoevsky and Saltykov-Shchedrin. Finally, the text gives a justification for studying early literatures. This book will be invaluable for students of Russian, medieval and comparative literature.
The text contrasts medieval abstraction and modern realism, as Likhachev shows how realisticness gradually breaks through in specific situations—such as those of princely crimes. Likhachev draws contrasts in three different areas: the basic stock of symbols and comparisons used in early Russian literature with those used in modern literature, artistic time in folklore and early Russian literature, and artistic space in folklore and early Russian literature. Likhachev traces the gradual development into modern artistic time through a comparison of the chronicle, the first Russian play, the seventeenth century writer Avvakum, and three modern authors, Goncharov, Dostoevsky and Saltykov-Shchedrin. Finally, the text gives a justification for studying early literatures. This book will be invaluable for students of Russian, medieval and comparative literature.
The present translation is the first of this seminal work, which forms . . . a comprehensive analysis of the classification, problems, and complexities of the literature attributed to early RusÍ´ and pre-modern Russia. . . .[The book] provides clear and in-depth consideration of the complexity of early Slavonic literary genres and their formation. . . .The Poetics of Early Russian Literature remains an invaluable resource for those interested in Russian history and literature and comparative medieval literature. . . .This study promotes a line of questioning that will be useful to students and scholars of Slavonic and broader medieval literature alike.