How did the Russian Revolution affect literature?

The Bolshevik seizure of power in 1917 radically changed Russian literature. After a brief period of relative openness (compared to what followed) in the 1920s, literature became a tool of state propaganda. Officially approved writing (the only kind that could be published) by and large sank to a subliterary level.

What is modernism in Russian literature?

The movement of Russian modernism is marked by a unique creative attitude that finds expression in different ways of dealing with one’s personal (life) behaviour in the context of a) Symbolism as the movement of decadence, and b) the avant-garde, including Futurists, Constructivists, Suprematists and others.

What are Russian writers known for?

The Golden age of Russian poetry began with Alexander Pushkin who is the founder of Russian literary language and is more commonly known as the ‘Russian Shakespeare’. After the Golden age various genres became popular in Russia, starting from poetry, novels, and short fiction stories to literary realism and symbolism.

What are the characteristics of Russian literature?

Russian literature, especially of the Imperial and post-Revolutionary periods, has as its defining characteristics an intense concern with philosophical problems, a constant self-consciousness about its relation to the cultures of the West, and a strong tendency toward formal innovation and defiance of received generic norms.

Who was the leading figure in the Russian literature?

Its leading figure was Maxim Gorky, who laid the foundations of this style. Nikolay Ostrovsky ‘s novel How the Steel Was Tempered has been among the most successful works of Russian literature. Alexander Fadeyev achieved success in Russia. Various émigré writers, such as poets Vladislav Khodasevich,…

What happened to Russian literature after the Russian Revolution?

After the Revolution of 1917, Russian literature split into Soviet and white émigré parts. While the Soviet Union assured universal literacy and a highly developed book printing industry, it also enforced ideological censorship. In the 1930s Socialist realism became the predominant trend in Russia.

Why are Russian novels so long?

Russian novels are capable of knocking us on the noggin like a grandmother’s sweet backhand, reminding us of our habitual blindness. Their great length is a necessary corrective to our poor attention span and penchant for distraction. You cannot summarize the plot of a Russian novel. It is too engrossing to allow it.