The Development of Realism in Russian Literature

Abstract

Typological studies have become a notable "branch" of our literary scholarship. They are increasing in number each year, their methodological features are becoming more and more clear-cut, and their scope and range of materials are broadening. Also stronger in the best of them is the bent toward generalization. Individual and collective works are both appearing that represent different variants of a single typological characterization of Russian realism. Preliminary sketches of such a characterization appeared, in part, in the three-volume History of Russian Literature [Istoriia russkoi literatury] (1958-64). The next important link was the collection Problems of the Typology of Russian Realism [Problemy tipologii russkogo realizma] (1969). It published, as discussion of methodological perspectives, both general theoretical and specific studies by various authors expressing various views of the subjects under discussion. This prepared the way for the next step — a systematic examination of historical-literary patterns characteristic of Russian realism in its typological aspect. As its authors conceived it, this next step was to be the collective three-volume monograph The Development of Realism in Russian Literature. (1)