The Function of Introductions in Dostoevsky’s Work (About L. Bagby’s Book)

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Author: Nikolay N. Podosokorsky
Information about the author:

PhD in Philology, Senior Researcher, A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Povarskaya 25 a, 121069 Moscow, Russia.

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6310-1579

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For citation:

Podosokorsky, N.N. “The Function of Introductions in Dostoevsky’s Work (About L. Bagby’s Book).” Dostoevsky and World Culture. Philological journal, no. 1 (17), 2022, pp. 167–179. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2022-1-167-179
Received: 09 Feb. 2022
Published: 25 Mar. 2022
Issue: 2022 no. 1 (17)
Department: REVIEWS. SUMMARIES
Pages: 167-179
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2022-1-167-179
UDK: 821.161.1.0
BBK: 83.3(2=411.2)
Keywords: Dostoevsky’s introduction, Lewis Bagby, Gérard Genette, The Village of Stepanchikovo and Its Inhabitants, preface, introduction, Aleksandr Protopopov, Chernyshevsky, theory of literature, The Brothers Karamazov.
Abstract: The review analysis the main theses contained in the monograph by Lewis Bagby, American slavicist, Professor Emeritus of Russian literature and language at the University of Wyoming, First Words: On Dostoevsky’s Introductions, that researches the functions of prefaces/introductions in Dostoevsky’s literary works. Bagby identifies ten Dostoevsky’s texts (The Village of Stepanchikovo and Its Inhabitants, Notes from the House of the Dead, Winter Notes on Summer Impressions, Notes from the Underground, “Bobok”, The Devils, “The Beggar Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree”, “The Peasant Marey”, “A Gentle Creature”, and The Brothers Karamazov) and attempts to analyze the introductions using Gérard Genette’s typology. This classification seems ill-suited to the task of describing and studying the introductions in Dostoevsky’s work. The review points out inconsistencies and controversial moments in the book.

References

1. Begby, L. Pervye slova: o predisloviiakh F.M. Dostoevskogo [First Words: On Dostoevsky’s Introductions]. Trans. from English by E. Tsypin. St. Petersburg, Academic Studies Press / Bibliorossika Publ., 2020. 272 p. (In Russ.)

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