Some Significant Aspects of the Reception of Russian Literature in England in the Middle of the Nineteenth Century (1840-1860)

Abstract

Between 1840 and 1860 English interest in Russian civilisation was especially keen, largely because of the Crimean War and associated concerns over Russian expansion in the East, but also as a result of such events as the visit to England in 1844 of Tsar Nicholas I, and the impending liberation of the serfs. Numerous books and articles appeared describing Russia and the Russians, and this thesis studies some important phases and trends in early Victorian appreciation of Russian literature. Part I is a case-study of the influence of Thomas Budd Shaw, an English resident in Russia who undertook, during the 1840s, to promote Russian literature in his own country. His life is outlined, his translations (from Kozlov, Bestuzhev-Marlinskii, Lazhechnikov, Lermontov, Pushkin and Gogol) are evaluated, as are contemporary reactions to the works concerned. It is shown that in spite of his limitations as a translator Shaw did raise Victorian consciousness concerning Russian writing, and helped to stimulate curiosity about literary treasures as yet undisclosed. Part II studies contemporary views of the state of Russian culture and society and assesses the reception of five important works that first became available in English translation between 1850 and 1860. We see how Sollogub's Tarantas was mistaken for a collection of Russian travel memoirs directed at an English audience, then how Lermontov's Geroi nashego vremeni (in three different versions) was enjoyed for its exotic setting, and both relished and criticized for its vivid portrayal of the hero. Mixed responses to the realism of Gogol's Mërtvye dushi (alias Home Life in Russia) are analysed, likewise the mainly positive reactions to Turgenev's pictorial technique in Zapiski okhotnika. There is also a chapter on the unenthusiastic reception of the only Russian play published in English during this period, Griboedov's Gore ot uma. Part III explores the reasons for the special of Russian popular literature and fables. It is observed that folklore and fables (in contrast to most other Russian writing) were deemed to possess a native individuality that inspired respect and rewarded the reader with an insight into the heart of the people. The three sections described above (preceded by an Introduction and followed by a Conclusion) constitute the first volume of the thesis. The second volume contains the bibliographic material, arranged in four divisions. First, there is a chronological survey (1840-1860) of English periodical items on Russian civilization. The survey concentrates on leading journals, like the Athenaeum, the Critic, Fraser's Magazine and the Westminster Review, but also includes a number of lesser publications: the Story-Teller, the Metropolitan Magazine and the Mirror, for Mirror, for example. Informative in its own right, this first division also provides bibliographic references for literary reviews discussed in the text proper. Second, there is a bibliography of works referred to (or cited in) articles recorded in the chronological survey. The result is a useful guide to early Victorian knowledge of Russia and the Russians. The final tow sections in the bibliographic volume list, respectively, published works and unpublished material consulted in the course of research.