Виктор Георгиевич Одиноков (10.06.1924 – 17.08.2016)

Abstract

The paper presents a detailed account of the scientific and pedagogical achievements of Viktor Georgievich Odinokov, a renowned Russian literary critic (06.10.1924–08.17.2016). A distinctive characteristic of Odinokov’s research style was his focus on the overarching themes and profound processes of national literature. The scientific and theoretical significance of his monographs lies in their methodology, which progresses from analyzing the poetics of specific literary works to understanding the systematic nature of the literary text as a whole. This approach encompasses the relationship between the writer and the reader, elevating research thought to the level of hermeneutics. Odinokov’s scientific approaches differed significantly from both the dogmatic principles of official Soviet literary criticism, which were grounded in historical materialism and the broad interpretation of the subject matter by the structural-semiotic school. His methodological trajectory from typology to systematicity made a significant contribution to literary methodology and established an original scientific school. Odinokov was one of the initiators and organizers of the publication “Essays on Russian Literature of Siberia,” which was recognized both domestically and internationally as the first study in Russia on the history of regional literature. The works of Victor Georgievich Odinokov, a distinguished literary critic from Siberia, have made a profound contribution to Russian national culture.