Lukov Vl. A. Russia and Europe: Intercultural Dialogue in the Mutual Repercussion of Literatures

The research “Russia and Europe: Intercultural Dialogue in the Mutual Repercussion of Literatures” (RFH, grant №06-04-00578а) was conducted in 2006–2008.

In the Introduction the theoretical and methodological issues of the investigation on intercultural dialogue between Russia and Europe in the mutual repercussion of literatures are considered. The application of the thesaurus approach in the research as its methodological pivot is substantiated.

In the First Part of the study the assimilation of the achievements of the European literature by  Russian culture and literature is revealed. The special attention is paid to the forms and degrees of this assimilation, the theory of literary con-centers in Russia literature was elaborated, the French literary con-center was closely considered. Various models of the occurrence of foreign authors in Russian culture was studied in detail: from the maximal inclusion of an author in Russian culture (Shakespeare) to a slow assimilation (Proust).

In the Second Part the assimilation of the image of Russia and Russian literature (Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Tolstoy, etc.) in the European consciousness was considered.

In the Third Part of the study the theory of common literary field is expounded. On this field a natural convergence of the Russian and European cultural thesaurus through the usage of the eternal characters of the world literature (Hamlet, Don Quixote) as well as through solving of common theoretical and historical and cultural problems of understanding of literary process takes place.

As the research has shown the dialogue of cultures, the mutual repercussion of literatures as its concrete realization does not lead to the formation of a certain averaged “global” literature at all. Dialogue remains dialogue, i.e. a communication of independent essences without their adunation. It makes sense in the situation when there is a danger of forcible adunation, this causes a cultural conflict. Intercultural dialogue leads to understanding of the Other.

(translation from Russian — B. Gaydin)