Zakharov N. V. Shakespearianism in Pushkin's Creative Works

(Moscow University for the Humanities)

Abstract ♦ The present article is concerned with the problem of Pushkin’s creative evolution under the influence of Shakespeare’s creative works. The research delineates the terms of Pushkin’s Shakespearism, providing a detailed analysis of Pushkin’s texts and its degree of dependence on Shakespeare. Pushkin remains the most outstanding representative of Russian Shakespearianism. Following the Decembrists, Pushkin set himself a goal, to create a national literature in Russia, and in this he had better success than anyone else. The poet’s Shakespearianism did not appear just due to the literary fashion, widely spread in Western Europe. It was different from the cult of Shakespeare, as well as from Shakespearisation, so evident in the work of his many contemporaries. Pushkin’s interest for Shakespeare the writer developed into a stronger spiritual relationship. Pushkin’s Shakespearianism incorporates a complete world outlook, and from a mere literary influence it became a philosophic stand. Mature Pushkin’s concept of authority and the people was shaped by Shakespeare’s work. Pushkin called Shakespeare a Romantic, meaning that true Romanticism creates art that is fitted to the time spirit and linked to national life. Pushkin tried to adapt Shakespeare’s artistic method to the contemporary state of society. He considered objectivity, truthfulness of characters and “a precise reflection of the period” to be the main features of Shakespearian manner of writing. “In the manner of our Father Shakespeare” Pushkin created his tragedy Boris Godunov (1825) and adopted Shakespeare’s objectivity while depicting the time and characters. Foregrounding the issues of authority status and its interaction with the people, Pushkin followed Shakespeare, and results of this imitation are evident in his narrative poem Angelo (1833), which paraphrases the play of Measure for Measure.

Keywords: Shakespeare, Shakespearianism, comparative research, creative evolution, adaptation, translation.

Zakharov Nikolay Vladimirovich, Candidate of Philology, PhD, Aide to the Rector; Director, Center for Theory and History of Culture, Institute of Fundamental and Applied Studies, Moscow University for the Humanities; Full member, International Academy of Sciences; Academic Secretary, Shakespeare Committee, Russian Academy of Sciences. Postal address: Bldg. 6, 5 Yunosti St., Moscow, Russian Federation, 111395. Tel. +7 (499) 374-75-95. E-mail: nikoltine@yandex.ru

Citation: Zakharov, N. V. (2014) Shekspirizm v tvorchestve A. S. Pushkina [Shakespearianism in Pushkin’s Creative Works]. Znanie. Ponimanie. Umenie, no. 2, pp. 235–249. (In Russ.).

Submission date: 12.03.2014.

RUSSIAN VERSION

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