Критическая рецепция массовой культуры в творчестве К. И. Чуковского и английская литературная традиция

Abstract

The research aims to try to assess the influence of the English literary tradition on the formation of the author’s concept of mass culture in Korney Ivanovich Chukovsky’s critical works. The paper considers the origins of the writer’s interest in mass culture phenomena, examines critical works devoted to various aspects of this phenomenon in England and Russia and development of this topic in the Russian literary and critical thought. While working as a special correspondent in England, K. I. Chukovsky gets acquainted with publications analysing trends in the field of mass culture. The writer explores various aspects of this phenomenon and continues to develop this topic upon returning to Russia. Scientific novelty of the paper is accounted for by the lack of research on this topic, since despite the fact that trends in the field of mass culture were a leading motif of many articles and books written by Korney Ivanovich, the influence of the English literary tradition on the formation of the writer as a critic has not yet been an object of independent study. The research findings have shown that Russia and England became two singular complementary spheres that offered a model of creativity that was relevant for the writer, since thanks to his work as a correspondent in England, K. I. Chukovsky found original topics and unconventional ways to share them with his readers.