Stalin In Russian Satire, 1917-1991
by Karen L. Ryan /
2009 / English / PDF
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During Stalin’s lifetime the crimes of his regime were literally
unspeakable. More than fifty years after his death, Russia is
still coming to terms with Stalinism and the people’s own role in
the abuses of the era. During the decades of official silence
that preceded the advent of glasnost, Russian writers raised
troubling questions about guilt, responsibility, and the
possibility of absolution. Through the subtle vehicle of satire,
they explored the roots and legacy of Stalinism in forms ranging
from humorous mockery to vitriolic diatribe.
During Stalin’s lifetime the crimes of his regime were literally
unspeakable. More than fifty years after his death, Russia is
still coming to terms with Stalinism and the people’s own role in
the abuses of the era. During the decades of official silence
that preceded the advent of glasnost, Russian writers raised
troubling questions about guilt, responsibility, and the
possibility of absolution. Through the subtle vehicle of satire,
they explored the roots and legacy of Stalinism in forms ranging
from humorous mockery to vitriolic diatribe.
Examining works from the 1917 Revolution to
the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Karen L. Ryan reveals how
satirical treatments of Stalin often emphasize his otherness,
distancing him from Russian culture. Some satirists portray
Stalin as a madman. Others show him as feminized, animal-like,
monstrous, or diabolical. Stalin has also appeared as the unquiet
dead, a spirit that keeps returning to haunt the collective
memory of the nation. While many writers seem anxious to exorcise
Stalin from the body politic, for others he illuminates the self
in disturbing ways. To what degree Stalin was and is “in us” is a
central question of all these works. Although less visible than
public trials, policy shifts, or statements of apology, Russian
satire has subtly yet insistently participated in the protracted
process of de-Stalinization.
Examining works from the 1917 Revolution to
the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Karen L. Ryan reveals how
satirical treatments of Stalin often emphasize his otherness,
distancing him from Russian culture. Some satirists portray
Stalin as a madman. Others show him as feminized, animal-like,
monstrous, or diabolical. Stalin has also appeared as the unquiet
dead, a spirit that keeps returning to haunt the collective
memory of the nation. While many writers seem anxious to exorcise
Stalin from the body politic, for others he illuminates the self
in disturbing ways. To what degree Stalin was and is “in us” is a
central question of all these works. Although less visible than
public trials, policy shifts, or statements of apology, Russian
satire has subtly yet insistently participated in the protracted
process of de-Stalinization.