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Pasternak. Modern Judgements.
Selections of critical essays.
277 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1970
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December 17, 2021
An excellent compilation of essays - both positive and negative - presenting a chronological review of Pasternak's work; poetry, prose, and the novel Dr. Zhivago. Roman Jakobson's essay, The Prose of the Poet Pasternak is particularly strong, as are Akhmatova's poem (of course, and even in translation) "Boris Pasternak," and Andrei Sinyavsky's essay Boris Pasternak. Also have to mention Aucouturier and Chiaromonte's pieces.
In addition to the excellent analyses of Pasternak's works and poetics, the collection starkly portrays the debate, both literary and political, surrounding Pasternak's work. The collection does so by including pieces, back-to-back and without commentary, which present diametrically opposed views of Pasternak and his work.
So, for example, after the reader encounters Deutscher, in Pasternak and the Calendar of the Revolution, arguing that the most "striking" characteristic of Dr. Zhivago is "its archaism, the archaism of the idea and of the artistic style alike... Pasternak speaks the language of the dead, not the living....," they next encounter Howe, in Freedom and the Ashcan of History: "...If this be 'archaism,' let every man who believes in freedom declare himself archaic. Finally, putting aside Mr. Deutscher's unfortunate venture into literary criticism, let me try to summarize what seems to me the political meaning of our disagreements...."
Of course, the "debate" surrounding Pasternak took on greater dimensions than the combat of essays presented here. Even Deutscher, a fervent Trotskyite and Leninist, "cannot react otherwise than with indignation and disgust to the suppression of Dr. Zhivago in the Soviet Union, and to the spectacle of Pasternak's condemnation. There exists no justification and no excuse for the ban on his book and the outcry against it, or for the pressure exercised on Pasternak to make him resign the Nobel award, the threat of his expulsion from the country, and the continuing witch-hunt."
This collection recommends itself as a testimony to an artist who fought valiantly, and ultimately sacrificed much, for the right to self-reflection and individuality - first in artistic expression, then in political expression as well. It contains beautiful presentations of excellent literary analysis generally, and of Pasternak in particular.
In addition to the excellent analyses of Pasternak's works and poetics, the collection starkly portrays the debate, both literary and political, surrounding Pasternak's work. The collection does so by including pieces, back-to-back and without commentary, which present diametrically opposed views of Pasternak and his work.
So, for example, after the reader encounters Deutscher, in Pasternak and the Calendar of the Revolution, arguing that the most "striking" characteristic of Dr. Zhivago is "its archaism, the archaism of the idea and of the artistic style alike... Pasternak speaks the language of the dead, not the living....," they next encounter Howe, in Freedom and the Ashcan of History: "...If this be 'archaism,' let every man who believes in freedom declare himself archaic. Finally, putting aside Mr. Deutscher's unfortunate venture into literary criticism, let me try to summarize what seems to me the political meaning of our disagreements...."
Of course, the "debate" surrounding Pasternak took on greater dimensions than the combat of essays presented here. Even Deutscher, a fervent Trotskyite and Leninist, "cannot react otherwise than with indignation and disgust to the suppression of Dr. Zhivago in the Soviet Union, and to the spectacle of Pasternak's condemnation. There exists no justification and no excuse for the ban on his book and the outcry against it, or for the pressure exercised on Pasternak to make him resign the Nobel award, the threat of his expulsion from the country, and the continuing witch-hunt."
This collection recommends itself as a testimony to an artist who fought valiantly, and ultimately sacrificed much, for the right to self-reflection and individuality - first in artistic expression, then in political expression as well. It contains beautiful presentations of excellent literary analysis generally, and of Pasternak in particular.
Displaying 1 of 1 review