“Pravda” in Skaftymov’s Research on Dostoevsky

Download:

Author: Vladimir V. Dvoeglazov

Information about the author:

PhD in Philology, Associate Professor, Vyatka State University, Moskovskaya St. 36, 610000 Kirov, Russia.

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For citation:

Dvoeglazov, V.V. “‘Pravda’ in Skaftymov’s Research on Dostoevsky.” Dostoevsky and World Culture. Philological journal, no. 1 (25), 2024, pp. 115–133. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2024-1-115-133

Received: 31 Aug. 2023

Published: 25 Mar. 2024

Issue: 2024 no. 1 (25)

Department: DOSTOEVSKY IN THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES

Pages: 115-133

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2024-1-115-133

EDN:

https://elibrary.ru/YLRIBJ

UDK: 82.09

BBK: 83

Keywords: Dostoevsky’s work, Skaftymov’s research, the concept of person, types of heroes, “pravda,” righteousness.

Abstract: The article explores the works of classical literary critic Skaftymov concerning Dostoevsky. Its aim is to provide an initial definition of the concept of “pravda,” as used in Skaftymov’s scholarly works. The meaning of this concept evolves from a student essay to the completion of the final work about the writer. “Pravda” is understood as the ethical and ontological foundation of an individual rooted in Christ’s love. It is closely tied to the ideas present in Dostoevsky’s works, where the ultimate expression of “pravda” is found in forgiveness and love. Forgiveness and love serve as the functional essence of characters such as Prince Myshkin from the novel The Idiot and Liza (the heroine of the story Notes from Underground). Prince Myshkin epitomizes Dostoevsky’s truth, living with a lovingly open acceptance of existence, a comprehension of human pride and forgiveness, compassion, and a keen sense of moral well-being. Similarly, Lise embodies “true” characteristics, including selfless heartfelt sympathy, the capacity for self-sacrifice, and moral sensitivity. These qualities are also found in Dostoevsky’s “proud” characters, who yearn for brotherly love but struggle to attain it. Skaftymov portrays the state of these “true” heroes in Dostoevsky’s artistic world as akin to Orthodox righteousness. The concept of “pravda” in Skaftymov’s interpretation is considered as a free law of life, emphasizing love and forgiveness as fundamental principles in Dostoevsky’s work.

References

1. Auer, A.P. “Poetika F.M. Dostoevskogo v interpretatsii A.P.Skaftymova” [“Alexandr Skaftymov’s Interpretation of Dostoevsky’s Poetics”]. Aleksandr Pavlovich Skaftymov v russkoi literaturnoi nauke i kul’ture: stat’i, publikatsii, vospominaniia, materialy [Alexandr Skaftymov in Russian Literary Studies and Culture: Articles, Publications, Memoirs, Materials]. Saratov, Saratovskogo un-ta Publ., 2010, pp. 59–63. (In Russ.)

2. Bol’shaia sovetskaia entsiklopediia: v 30 tomakh [The Great Soviet Encyclopedia: in 30 vols], vol. 23. Moscow, Sovetskaia entsiklopediia Publ., 1976. 1485 columns. (In Russ.)

3. Vaniukov, A.I. “Stat’ia A.P. Skaftymova ‘P’esa Chekhova “Ivanov” v rannikh redaktsiiakh’ v sisteme/tsikle chekhovskikh trudov uchenogo” [“Alexandr Skaftymov’s Article ‘Chekhov’s Play“Ivanov” in Early Editions’ in the System/Cycle of His Chekhovian Works”]. Ranniaia dramaturgiia A.P. Chekhova: Sbornik statei po materialam Mezhdunarodnoi nauchno-prakticheskoi konferentsii Sed’mye Skaftymovskie chteniia [Early Dramaturgy of Anton Chekhov: Collection of Articles based on the Proceedings of the International Academic-Practical Conference Seventh Skaftymov Readings]. Moscow, Gosudarstvennyi tsentral’nyi teatral’nyi muzei imeni A.A. Bakhrushina Publ., 2021, pp. 36–47. (In Russ.)

4. Domuschi, Stefan, Rev. “Pravednost’” [“Righteousness”]. Pravoslavnaia entsiklopediia RPTs [Orthodox Encyclopedia of the Russian Orthodox Church], vol. LVII. Moscow, Tserkovno-nauchnyi tsentr “Pravoslavnaia entsiklopediia” Publ., 2020, pp. 673–679. (In Russ.)

5. Zhuk, A., and E. Pokusaev. “Aleksandr Pavlovich Skaftymov” [“Alexandr P. Skaftymov”]. Voprosy literatury, no. 9, 1970, pp. 114–128. (In Russ.)

6. Kasatkina, T.A. “My budem — litsa…” Analitiko-sinteticheskoe chtenie proizvedenii Dostoevskogo [“We Will Be Faces/Persons…” An Analytical-Synthetic Reading of Dostoevsky’s Works]. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2023. 432 p. (In Russ.)

7. Kiseleva, M.S. “Razlichenie dobra i zla: ‘Son smeshnogo cheloveka’ v ‘Dnevnike pisatelia’ Dostoevskogo” [“The Distinction between Good and Evil: ‘The Dream of a Ridiculous Man’ in Dostoevsky’s A Writer’s Diary”]. Voprosy literatury, no. 4, 2022, pp. 38–56. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31425/0042-8795-2022-4-38-57

8. Makarovskaia, G.V. “O sootnoshenii teoreticheskogo i istoricheskogo v rassmotrenii istorii literatury” [“On the Correlation of the Theoretical and the Historical in the Consideration of the History of Literature”]. Metodologiia i metodika izucheniia russkoi literatury i fol’klora [Methodology and Methods of Studying Russian Literature and Folklore]. Saratov, Saratovskogo un-ta Publ., 1984, pp. 112–120. (In Russ.)

9. Makarovskaia, G.V. “Posleslovie i primechaniia” [“Afterword and Notes”]. Russkaia literaturnaia kritika [Russian Literary Criticism]. Saratov, Saratovskogo un-ta Publ., 1994, pp. 152–159. (In Russ.)

10. “Shkola nravstvennogo vospitaniia. Iz vospominanii A.P. Medvedeva” [“School of Moral Education. From the Memoirs of A.P. Medvedev”]. Metodologiia i metodika izucheniia russkoi literatury i fol’klora [Methodology and Methods of Studying Russian Literature and Folklore]. Saratov, Saratovskogo un-ta Publ., 1984, pp. 180–194. (In Russ.)

11. Nikitina, E., and G. Makarovskaia. “Aleksandr Pavlovich Skaftymov” [“Alexandr P. Skaftymov”]. Izvestiia Akademii nauk SSSR. Seriia literatury i iazyka, vol. XXVII, no. 4, 1968, pp. 379–381. (In Russ.)

12. Novikova, N.V. “Primechaniia” [“Notes”]. Skaftymov, A.P. Sobranie sochinenii: v 3 tomakh [Collected Works: in 3 vols], vol. 3. Samara, Vek#21 Publ., 2008, pp. 482–536. (In Russ.)

13. Novikova, N.V. “A.P. Skaftymov ” [“A.P. Skaftymov ”]. Chekhov i Dostoevskii. Po materialam Chetvertykh mezhdunarodnykh Skaftymovskikh chtenii: Sbornik nauchnykh rabot [Chekhov and Dostoevsky. Proceedings of the Fourth International Skaftymov Readings. Collected Articles]. Moscow, Gosudarstvennyi tsentral’nyi teatral’nyi muzei imeni A.A. Bakhrushina Publ., 2017, pp. 25–68. (In Russ.)

14. Prozorov, V.V. “Aleksandr Pavlovich Skaftymov — issledovatel’ russkoi slovesnosti” [“Alexandr P. Skaftymov, Researcher of Russian Literature”]. Skaftymov, A.P. Poetika khudozhestvennogo proizvedeniia [The Poetics of Literary Work]. Moscow, Vysshaia shkola Publ., 2007, pp. 5–20. (In Russ.)

15. Rodnianskaia, I. “Nravstvennye iskaniia russkikh pisatelei” [“Moral Quests of Russian Writers”]. Novyi mir, no. 2, 1974, pp. 282–283. (In Russ.)

16. Skaftymov, A.P. Sobranie sochinenii: v 3 tomakh [Collected Works: in 3 vols]. Samara, Vek#21 Publ., 2008. (In Russ.)

17. Smyslova, O.N. “O ‘pravde deistvitel’noi’ i ‘vysshei pravde’ v khudozhestvennoi kritike F.M. Dostoevskogo” [“About the ‘Real Truth’ and ‘Higher Truth’ in the Artistic Criticism of Fyodor Dostoevsky”]. Dva veka russkoi klassiki, vol. 3, no. 4, 2021, pp. 114–129. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2686-7494-2021-3-4-114-129

18. Strel’tsova, E.I. “Predislovie. Dar slova” [“Preface. The Gift of Words”]. Ranniaia dramaturgiia A.P. Chekhova: Sbornik statei po materialam Mezhdunarodnoi nauchno-prakticheskoi konferentsii Sed’mye Skaftymovskie chteniia [Early Dramaturgy of Anton Chekhov: Collection of Articles based on the Proceedings of the International Academic-Practical Conference Seventh Skaftymov Readings]. Moscow, Gosudarstvennyi tsentral’nyi teatral’nyi muzei imeni A.A. Bakhrushina Publ., 2021, pp. 3–13. (In Russ.)

19. Fridlender, G.M. “F.M. Dostoevskii” [“F.M. Dostoevsky”]. Istoriia russkoi literatury: v 4 tomakh [History of Russian Literature: in 4 vols], vol. 3. Leningrad, Nauka Publ., 1982, pp. 695–760. (In Russ.)

20. Khalizev, V.E. “A.P. Skaftymov: filolog, myslitel’, pedagog” [“Alexandr Skaftymov: Philologist, Thinker, Teacher”]. Aleksandr Pavlovich Skaftymov v russkoi literaturnoi nauke i kul’ture: stat’i, publikatsii, vospominaniia, materialy [Alexandr Skaftymov in Russian Literary Studies and Culture: Articles, Publications, Memoirs, Materials]. Saratov, Saratovskogo un-ta Publ., 2010, pp. 14–27. (In Russ.)