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Andrei Bely: The Major Symbolist Fiction (Russian Research Center Studies)
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Andrei Bely: The Major Symbolist Fiction (Russian Research Center Studies) Description
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 891
EAN: 9781583484494
ISBN: 1583484493
Label: AuthorHouse
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 239
Publication Date: 1999-09-29
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Product Release Date: 1999-09-29
Studio: AuthorHouse
Dewey Decimal Number: 891
EAN: 9781583484494
ISBN: 1583484493
Label: AuthorHouse
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 239
Publication Date: 1999-09-29
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Product Release Date: 1999-09-29
Studio: AuthorHouse
Editorial Review of Andrei Bely: The Major Symbolist Fiction (Russian Research Center Studies)
A leading Russian Symbolist poet, essayist, and mentor to an entire generation of writers, Andrei Bely (1880-1934) achieved greatest renown for three brilliant novels: Petersburg -- which has been ranked with the masterpieces of Joyce, Kafka, and Proust -- The Silver Dove, and Kotik Letaev.
Vladimir Alexandrov argues cogently that the main-spring of Bely's complex art is his conception of Symbolism as a new form of cognition that links the individual, the material world, and the transcendent realm. Supplementing close textual analysis with material drawn from Bely's theoretical and autobiographical writings, Alexandrov traces in detail how this conception evolved from four early experimental prose narratives to the major novels, and how it is manifested in their themes, form, and style. Alexandrov also provides lucid discussions of the significant influence that several philosophical and occult systems had on Bely's art, and of the theoretical problem of what constitutes a Symbolist novel.
Customer Reviews of Andrei Bely: The Major Symbolist Fiction (Russian Research Center Studies)
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Review Summary: Andrei Bely - Russian Symbolist.
Review: _Andrei Bely: The Major Symbolist Fiction_ by Vladimir E. Alexandrov is an important biographical work dealing with one of Russia's more interesting novelists. In the tradition of the French and European symbolists, beginning perhaps with Baudelaire and Huysmanns, and in that of the early Russian symbolists including Valery Briusov (_The Fiery Angel_ (1907)), Dmitry Merezhkovsky (the trilogy _Christ or Antichrist_), and Fedor Sologub (_The Petty Demon_ (1907)), Andrei Bely (a sobriquet meaning "Andrew White") became an important writer in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Russia. Born Boris Nikolaevich Bugaev (1880 - 1934), Bely came to write under this particular name after being given it by a relative of the famous philosopher Vladimir Soloviev. Bely has been ranked with Joyce, Kafka, and Proust as one of the most important figures of European Modernism by the likes of Nabokov. This particular biographical book takes a look at the principal works of Bely including his _Symphonies_, and the novels _The Silver Dove_ (1909), _Petersburg_ (1913 - 14; 1922), _Kotik Letaev_ (1917 - 18), and _The Baptized Chinaman_ (1921). Bely frequently met with censorship from the offical Soviet bureaucracy and thus was routinely forced to hide or delete various components within his novels.
Symbolism entails a tie between man and the transcendent. In Bely's principle works, this can be seen in both his appeal to esoteric and occult doctrines, as well as his emphasis upon the imminent apocalypse and Solovievian eschatology (including that of the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition). Some of Bely's earliest works include _The Symphonies_, which were influenced heavily by the philosophies of Schopenhauer and Eduard von Hartmann, as well as the playwright Ibsen, and later Nietzsche (in particular his _Thus Spoke Zarathustra_ and the idea of the "superman", indeed for Bely a reconcilliation is attempted between the eternal recurrence of Nietzsche and Christianity, with self-overcoming referring perhaps to Christ himself). Bely also was heavily indebted to the philosopher Vladimir Soloviev whose Sophiology and apocalyptic narrative within a Christian/Gnostic context played an important role in shaping the early Bely, as well as the poet and fellow follower of Soloviev, Aleksandr Blok. In many of these pieces termed _The Symphonies_ reference is made to the philosophy of Soloviev, whom Bely regarded as the next step beyond Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. Later Bely would also come to embrace the German philosopher Kant, as well as Schelling.
For Bely, the novels _The Silver Dove_, _Petersburg_, and _Kotik Letaev_ were originally intended to form a sort of trilogy. However, though each subsequent novel was to incorporate details from the last the trilogy idea would eventually not be used. _The Silver Dove_ involves an occult and apocalyptic confrontation among a secret society referred to as "the Doves" who intend to give birth to a child which is the incarnation of Sophia, divine wisdom, from Solovievian philosophy. The influence of evil forces and indeed of Satanism, plays an important part in this novel. _Petersburg_ involves the story of a confrontation between a revolutionary son and his conservative/aristocratic father. The son in this novel intends to use a bomb to murder his father. An important theme in this work is that of apocalypse, in the form of the "yellow peril", a pan-Mongol invasion of Russia, as prophesied by Soloviev in his writings on Antichrist. Both _The Silver Dove_ and _Petersburg_ are particularly influenced by the ideals of anthroposophy, a system devised by Rudolf Steiner. Indeed, during this time period, Bely was to come particularly under the spell of Steiner, and would later serve as an advisor in the construction of the Goethenaeum for students of Steiner. _Kotik Letaev_ and its sequel _The Baptized Chinaman_ feature the life of Bely as a youth influenced by Steinerian anthroposophy and attainment of higher states of consciousness. Again, the theme of the Mongol invasion plays an important role (as seen in _The Baptized Chinaman_, where the author as a child refers to his father as a "baptized Chinaman").
Bely is a fascinating figure and remains an enigma for many who attempt to understand Russian symbolism. To understand Bely, one must be versed in the occult doctrines of Rudolf Steiner and his esoteric science (as well as his understanding of higher dimensions and higher states of consciousness), as well as the esoteric Christianity and gnosticism of Vladimir Soloviev, whose Sophiology was to play such an important role in the writings of Bely. This biography is an excellent introduction to the work of Bely, who remains an important figure among Russian modernist writers.
Review Summary: Andrei Bely - Russian Symbolist.
Review: _Andrei Bely: The Major Symbolist Fiction_ by Vladimir E. Alexandrov is an important biographical work dealing with one of Russia's more interesting novelists. In the tradition of the French and European symbolists, beginning perhaps with Baudelaire and Huysmanns, and in that of the early Russian symbolists including Valery Briusov (_The Fiery Angel_ (1907)), Dmitry Merezhkovsky (the trilogy _Christ or Antichrist_), and Fedor Sologub (_The Petty Demon_ (1907)), Andrei Bely (a sobriquet meaning "Andrew White") became an important writer in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Russia. Born Boris Nikolaevich Bugaev (1880 - 1934), Bely came to write under this particular name after being given it by a relative of the famous philosopher Vladimir Soloviev. Bely has been ranked with Joyce, Kafka, and Proust as one of the most important figures of European Modernism by the likes of Nabokov. This particular biographical book takes a look at the principal works of Bely including his _Symphonies_, and the novels _The Silver Dove_ (1909), _Petersburg_ (1913 - 14; 1922), _Kotik Letaev_ (1917 - 18), and _The Baptized Chinaman_ (1921). Bely frequently met with censorship from the offical Soviet bureaucracy and thus was routinely forced to hide or delete various components within his novels.
Symbolism entails a tie between man and the transcendent. In Bely's principle works, this can be seen in both his appeal to esoteric and occult doctrines, as well as his emphasis upon the imminent apocalypse and Solovievian eschatology (including that of the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition). Some of Bely's earliest works include _The Symphonies_, which were influenced heavily by the philosophies of Schopenhauer and Eduard von Hartmann, as well as the playwright Ibsen, and later Nietzsche (in particular his _Thus Spoke Zarathustra_ and the idea of the "superman", indeed for Bely a reconcilliation is attempted between the eternal recurrence of Nietzsche and Christianity, with self-overcoming referring perhaps to Christ himself). Bely also was heavily indebted to the philosopher Vladimir Soloviev whose Sophiology and apocalyptic narrative within a Christian/Gnostic context played an important role in shaping the early Bely, as well as the poet and fellow follower of Soloviev, Aleksandr Blok. In many of these pieces termed _The Symphonies_ reference is made to the philosophy of Soloviev, whom Bely regarded as the next step beyond Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. Later Bely would also come to embrace the German philosopher Kant, as well as Schelling.
For Bely, the novels _The Silver Dove_, _Petersburg_, and _Kotik Letaev_ were originally intended to form a sort of trilogy. However, though each subsequent novel was to incorporate details from the last the trilogy idea would eventually not be used. _The Silver Dove_ involves an occult and apocalyptic confrontation among a secret society referred to as "the Doves" who intend to give birth to a child which is the incarnation of Sophia, divine wisdom, from Solovievian philosophy. The influence of evil forces and indeed of Satanism, plays an important part in this novel. _Petersburg_ involves the story of a confrontation between a revolutionary son and his conservative/aristocratic father. The son in this novel intends to use a bomb to murder his father. An important theme in this work is that of apocalypse, in the form of the "yellow peril", a pan-Mongol invasion of Russia, as prophesied by Soloviev in his writings on Antichrist. Both _The Silver Dove_ and _Petersburg_ are particularly influenced by the ideals of anthroposophy, a system devised by Rudolf Steiner. Indeed, during this time period, Bely was to come particularly under the spell of Steiner, and would later serve as an advisor in the construction of the Goethenaeum for students of Steiner. _Kotik Letaev_ and its sequel _The Baptized Chinaman_ feature the life of Bely as a youth influenced by Steinerian anthroposophy and attainment of higher states of consciousness. Again, the theme of the Mongol invasion plays an important role (as seen in _The Baptized Chinaman_, where the author as a child refers to his father as a "baptized Chinaman").
Bely is a fascinating figure and remains an enigma for many who attempt to understand Russian symbolism. To understand Bely, one must be versed in the occult doctrines of Rudolf Steiner and his esoteric science (as well as his understanding of higher dimensions and higher states of consciousness), as well as the esoteric Christianity and gnosticism of Vladimir Soloviev, whose Sophiology was to play such an important role in the writings of Bely. This biography is an excellent introduction to the work of Bely, who remains an important figure among Russian modernist writers.