Confronting Dostoevsky’s «demons»: Anarchism And The Specter Of Bakunin In Twentieth-century Russia (middlebury Studies In Russian Language And Literature)
by James Goodwin /
2010 / English / PDF
2.2 MB Download
Although criticized at one time for its highly tendentious spirit,
Dostoevsky’s
Although criticized at one time for its highly tendentious spirit,
Dostoevsky’sDemons
Demons (1871-1872) has proven to be a novel of
great polemical vitality. Originally inspired by a minor
conspiratorial episode of the late 1860s, well after Dostoevsky’s
death (1881) the work continued to earn both acclaim and contempt
for its scathing caricature of revolutionists driven by
destructive, anarchic aims. The text of
(1871-1872) has proven to be a novel of
great polemical vitality. Originally inspired by a minor
conspiratorial episode of the late 1860s, well after Dostoevsky’s
death (1881) the work continued to earn both acclaim and contempt
for its scathing caricature of revolutionists driven by
destructive, anarchic aims. The text ofDemons
Demons assumed new
meaning in Russian literary culture following the Bolshevik triumph
of 1917, when the reestablishment and expansion of centralized
state power inevitably revived interest in the radical populist
tendencies of Russia’s past, in particular the anarchist thought of
Dostoevsky’s legendary contemporary, Mikhail Bakunin
(1814-1876).
assumed new
meaning in Russian literary culture following the Bolshevik triumph
of 1917, when the reestablishment and expansion of centralized
state power inevitably revived interest in the radical populist
tendencies of Russia’s past, in particular the anarchist thought of
Dostoevsky’s legendary contemporary, Mikhail Bakunin
(1814-1876).Confronting Dostoevsky’s ‘Demons’
Confronting Dostoevsky’s ‘Demons’ is the first book to
explore the life of Dostoevsky’s novel in light of disputes and
controversies over Bakunin’s troubling legacy in Russia. Contrary
to the traditional view, which assumes the obsolescence of
is the first book to
explore the life of Dostoevsky’s novel in light of disputes and
controversies over Bakunin’s troubling legacy in Russia. Contrary
to the traditional view, which assumes the obsolescence ofDemons
Demons throughout much of the Communist period (1917-1991),
this book demonstrates that the potential resurgence of Bakuninist
thought actually encouraged reassessments of Dostoevsky’s novel. By
exploring the different ideas and critical strategies that
motivated opposing interpretations of the novel in
post-revolutionary Russia,
throughout much of the Communist period (1917-1991),
this book demonstrates that the potential resurgence of Bakuninist
thought actually encouraged reassessments of Dostoevsky’s novel. By
exploring the different ideas and critical strategies that
motivated opposing interpretations of the novel in
post-revolutionary Russia,Confronting Dostoevsky’s ‘Demons’
Confronting Dostoevsky’s ‘Demons’
reveals how the potential resurrection of Bakunin’s
anti-authoritarian ethos fostered the return of a politically
reactionary novel to the canon of Russian classics.
reveals how the potential resurrection of Bakunin’s
anti-authoritarian ethos fostered the return of a politically
reactionary novel to the canon of Russian classics.
