Seminar «Alexander Pushkin and Nowadays»

May 26 (old style), 1799, on Thursday, on Ascension Day, Alexander Pushkin was born in Moscow. On Thursday 26 May at 19.00 in White Hall of Russian Institute for Art History, dr. George Kovalevsky will present the regular seminar of the series «Alexander Pushkin and Nowadays», now dedicated to the seventh chapter of “Eugene Onegin” novel.

Pushkin wrote the seventh chapter, after a rather long break in the writing and the novel was first published in March 1830. It caused a flurry of scathing criticism. In particular Thaddeus Bulgarin in the pages of “Northern Bee” stated that the head represents the “perfect fall” of Pushkin’s talent.

The seventh chapter is the only one in which the main character is completely absent as a personage. Despite this Pushkin writings rather looks poor and sketchy, attentive reader plunges into a huge historical and philosophical context in which the fate of the characters are seen already on the background of the country and even the fate of all mankind. Why Tatiana parting to the village is so reminiscent of Joan of Arc farewell monologue from the Schiller’s “Maid of Orleans” tragedy? Why in this chapter Pushkin twice mentioned the figure of Napoleon and why the author deliberately confuses the chronology of the novel? A discussion of these and other issues will be held during the seminar.

Lecturer and moderator of the evening – Researcher scientist, RIAH, Ph.D. George Kovalevsky.

All are invited to attend.