Russian literature

non sum, the loss is the very essence of translation... Moreso in Russian, which has different ways to express things than English does. I am reading Zamjatin's "We" in Russian, confronting it with a translation in Italian, my native tongue (the Russian by itself is too hard :(). It's so noticeable how the translation has to jump to try and make justice of things...
I didn't appreciate Master&Margarita at all, though I've never tried the original... I loved and found Dostoevskij so deep even in translation, I just can't imagine the beauty of the original...

As for Pushkin, I read The Captain's Daughter and some of the Belkin's stories, but I'm not so excited about him... it's ok for me, but not my favourite thing...

I have been having some trouble reading Alexander Pushkins Eugene Onegin.

The famous ending of Eugen Onegin has evoked countless discussions. Is it just? Is it tragic? Is it realistic? Summarize Puskhin's conclusion and comment on the motives and morality of the novel's two principal characters.

Discuss Onegin as a potential date, or boyfriend, or suitor, or husband. What would attract you about him? What would repel you? Try to weigh his virtues and his vices.

I would appreciate any help from anyone. Even if it is a website that could help me.

I just finished reading "We" for a global science fiction class. It was pretty good, I thought. Sometimes it was a little hard to follow, and all the commentary about "the ancients" and how confused and wrong they were could be either amusing or irritating. More often than not I found it irritating, even though I knew it was supposed to be kind of satirical on Zamyatin's part, and I usually love satire.

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Originally Posted by Kashkin

I've noticed a few people picked The Brothers Karamazov. Good luck to you. It doesn't strike me as being of the same standard of his other works. It's exceedingly religious (yes, more so than the others), slow moving and frankly, I don't know which character to empathise with. So I gave up, for now.

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Try again! One of my faves and I am a huge fan of Russian literature! It may seem religious in that it questions religion, but I don't think it means to push one religion. I think not knowing which character to empathise with is part of the experience of the book. Perhaps we can empathise with them all?

As mentioned earlier, at least read The Grand Inquisitor chapter.

I just read this whole thread, and thank you all so much for all the suggested reading!! :idea:

I just started reading "the possesed" by Dostoyevsky,
I couldn't get my hands on it before.
So far it's very interesting(i've only come to the second chapter)
What i know is that it was ment as a study of nihilism.

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Originally Posted by Evergreenleaf

I just finished reading "We" for a global science fiction class. It was pretty good, I thought. Sometimes it was a little hard to follow, and all the commentary about "the ancients" and how confused and wrong they were could be either amusing or irritating. More often than not I found it irritating, even though I knew it was supposed to be kind of satirical on Zamyatin's part, and I usually love satire.

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I'm finding it amusing instead :) I'm loving that book, the style is so wonderful, even if really hard at times. One of the best books ever, even if I'm only at 1/3 of it.

There's one thing about many storys written by russians: many of them are full of french quotes. And if you can't speak french you'll have to check them up in the end
of the books, if there is such thing as a index of french quotes used in the book at all.

I've read Evgeny Onegin, and I did enjoy it. The ending is pretty good, even if it isn't all that happy. I don't know if I like the translation I have, but since I don't read Russian, I'll have to content myself with what I have. The film is okay as well, although I do think you ought to read the poem as well.

Andrei Volos' "Hurramabad" was indeed an interesting book. I guess it qualifies as Russian literature, since it's written by an ethnic Russian from Tajikistan and deals with the whole issue of national/ethnic/cultural identity in a multi-cultural society that was once kept together by an iron fist, and what happens when that fist is removed... covers the whole 20th century, from the Russians who move there when the Soviet Union is in its infancy, to their children who make their home there, to their grandchildren who suddenly find themselves to be outsiders and forced to return to a "mother country" they've never even been to... all told in classic hyper-realistic prose where you can almost smell what's happening, short-story-like installments that interweave over time... very nice. Recommended.

Am new on this forum,stumble on the discussion of Russian literature,so I thought I should say one or two things on it.I'm presently reading Brother Kamarazov by Dostoyevsky.Am having a hard time at it,it doesnt just compare with the feelings I had when I was reading Crime and Punishment,or War and Peace by Tostoi.
Am also reading some Chekhov short stories online.
I've heard Anna Karenina is so fantastic,it should be my next target.

Ok, I'm originally from Russia and I've graduated from Russian high school, so I've read a lot of Russian authors:

Pushkin- it will be difficult to read and fully appreciate hime not in Russian. He is famous not only because of his poems and stories, but as more or less the founder of the modern Russian language. I'd recommend "Captain's daughter", "Povesti Belkina", "Queen of Spades".

Dostoevsky- "Crime and Punishment", "Idiot", "Brothers Karamazov" and "Possessed(Devils)" are all masterpieces(especially the first three). "Brothers Karamazovs" can be a bit difficult because of bunch of Orthodox stuff put into it, but there are parts that I consider among the best I've ever read - like Ivan's story about Chtist and Great Inquisitor.

Tolstoy- to my great shame I haven't read "Anna Karenina", but I enjoyed "war and Peace"(though the ending about the role of individuals in history was tough), "Resurrection", short stories like "Death of Ivan Iliich", "hadgi murat", "after ball", etc.

Other interesting Russian authors of 19th century are Lermontov, Gogol(especially "Dead souls" and "Overcoat"), Chekhov(plays amd short stories), Turgenev(especially "Fathers and sons"), Saltikov-Schedrin and Griboyedov.

Among 20th century writers my favorite is probably Bulgakov. To appreciate "Master and Margarita" you have to know a lot about Soviet life during 30ths and even then the translation is far from perfect(I've read it both in russian and english). But "M&M" is not the only Bulgakov's great book- "Heart of a dog" and "White guard" are among my favorites.

Pasternak "Doctor Zhivago", sholohov "Quiet Don", Grossman "Life and Destiny", Ribakov "Children of Arbat" and "Heavy sand", Voynovich's "Adventures of soldgier Chonkin", Strugazkiy's brothers "It's difficult to be a God" are books among 20th century russian literature that I'd especially recommend to try.

Sorry for the long message

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Originally Posted by Boris239

Dostoevsky- "Crime and Punishment", "Idiot", "Brothers Karamazov" and "Possessed(Devils)" are all masterpieces(especially the first three).

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I adored "Devils". Possibly even more than Crime & Punishment (I haven't read the other two yet). It's part of the reason why I decided to study Russian..

Hello! Would you be so kind, accept me for yours Forum.

Dear, read Mikhail Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita". You shall unforgettable pleasure!


I think, that russian literature is thrilling, fascination, exquisite in all planet "Earth"...

I will with delight listen Your opinion.

Little bit of novel I attached.

You needed to look on the thread which was exactly under yours...
Or click here:

http://www.online-literature.com/for...ad.php?t=14658

Welcome to the forum anyway! I'll soon be in your country for a while, that's funny...
So do you speak mainly Russian or Ukrainian? :)

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Originally Posted by ZATISHYA

Hello! Would you be so kind, accept me for yours Forum.

Do you read Russian literature? My modest question.. :-)


I think, that russian literature is thrilling, fascination, exquisite in all planet "Earth"...

I will with delight listen Your opinion.

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Yes welcome Zatishya. I too hope you enjoy our forum. We do discuss Russian literature here, but probably not enough. Hopefully you can start a topic.