Debates of Thoughts and Formation of Classics: The Russian Academic Criticism and Reception of War and Peace in the 1860s

Abstract

Abstract: Along with the serial publication of War and Peace in the 1860s, the criticism, controversy surrounding it appeared simultaneously. During this period, the criticism of the novel coincided with the social ideological movement in Russia, precipitated a situation in which thoughts from different camps confronted, debated with each other, thus facilitating the first wave in the critical history of the novel. As compared to the criticism from later generations, the critics during this period were sharply divided in their assessment of the way in which the novel presented historical truth, concept, handled the novelistic genre as well, but they offered positive comments on the military narrative, the art of characterization in the novel. Given the constraints of the time, the scope of people’s mind, the critics during this period could seldom, if ever, understand deeply the multiple innovations in the novel. This, therefore, led them to frequent misjudgment in their assessment of relevant issues. Amidst the multi-voiced criticism during the1860s, however, the assessment by Strakhov stood out and, thanks to his outstanding aesthetic insight, established the classic characteristics of the novel. As a whole, the problem awareness, aesthetic sensitivity demonstrated in the criticism during this period were imperative in paving the way for the subsequent studies of the novel

Key words: Tolstoy, War and Peace, literary criticism, history of criticism

Zhang Xingyu. Debates of Thoughts and Formation of Classics: The Russian Academic Criticism and Reception of War and Peace in the 1860s[J]. Foreign Literature Studies, 2020, 42(6): 163-174.

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