Творчество Л.Н. Андреева в рецепции Д.В. Философова (на материале литературно- критических статей 1907 года)

Abstract

The author examines the peculiarities of the reception of L.N. Andreev, reflected in the literary-critical articles of D.V. Filosofov, written in 1907. The features of his critical method are characterized. It is shown that the interpretation of Andreev’s works in these works of Filosofov was subordinated to the concept of building a “new religious consciousness”, developed by him together with his spiritual allies — D.S. Merezhkovsky and Z.N. Gippius. In 1907, the creative personality of Andreev was still characterized by Filosofov as a “background” figure, in comparison with the personality of Gorky and the cohort of realists united around the publishing house called “Knowledge”. The critic saw the damage to Andreev’s world outlook in the writer’s rejection of “culture”, “consciousness” and “religious community”. At the same time, he strenuously tried to “cut off” Andreev from the “philosophy” of Gorky and the realists of the Gorky circle. In addition, Andreev’s ideological and artistic quest was investigated by Filosofov in the context of such a complex literary phenomenon at the turn of the century as “mystical anarchism”. In general, the critical assessments of Andreev’s work presented in the articles of Filosofov in 1907 are ambiguous and dialectical. Revealing the “strength” and “weakness” of Andreev the artist, Filosofov in many ways showed himself as a critic and “educator”. He not only waged a struggle with Andreev, the singer of pessimism, despair and “nothingness”, but also tried to direct this talented writer along the “correct” ideological path, turn the vector of his creative movement towards “religious revival”, that is, “new Christianity”.