Dmitry Nikolayevich Zhatkin ¹, Anna Anatolyevna Ryabova ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Translation and Methods of Translation, Penza State Technological University, Penza, Russian Federation

Abstract

Objectives: The article sets as its aim the understanding and assessing of specifics of approaches to Christopher Marlowe’s personality and creativity of the leading Soviet Shakespearean scholars of the 1930-s – 1950-s M. M. Morozov and A. A. Smirnov. It is found, particularly, in their perception of the historical chronicle “Edward II” as the top of Marlowe’s dramaturgic art. Methods: The methodological base of the research is based on the works of classics of the Russian literary and art criticism Alexander N. Veselovsky, Alexey N. Veselovsky, V. M. Zhirmunsky, A. K. Dzhivelegov, M. P. Alekseev, A. A. Anikst, Yu. D. Levin, researches in the field of the theory and history of the Russian literary translation and Russian translated belletristic literature (A. V. Fedorov, E. G. Etkind, F. G. Ovchinnikova, A. N. Girivenko, etc.), Russian-English literary and historical and cultural relations (G. N. Boyadzhiyev, L. E. Pinsky), history of the English literature (N. I. Storozhenko, M. M. Morozov, A. A. Smirnov, R. M. Samarin, Yu. F. Shvedov, A. T. Parfyonov). In the course of the analysis cultural and historical, comparative and historical, comparative and typological, historical and typological, and biographic research methods were used. Findings: The reasoned establishment of the facts of Marlowe’s influences in Shakespeare’s creative activity, in many respects resisting to an anti- Shakespearean position of I. A. Aksenov, attributing many of Shakespeare’s works to Marlowe, is called an undoubted merit of M. M. Morozov. It is noted that A. A. Smirnov as the researcher of Marlowe’s creative work underwent the complex evolution from the early works, substantially relying on Marx’s methodology, to the works, containing the deep analysis of the art world in Marlowe’s tragedies and based on the direct work with the art text. If M. M. Morozov in the majority of his works considered Marlowe in comparison with the genius of Shakespeare, A. A. Smirnov in a number of his researches characterized the works of the English playwright as something being of undoubted independent scientific interest. While having differences in their estimates of concrete Marlowe’s plays, M. M. Morozov and A. A. Smirnov were able to understand them in the context of the concrete historical era, having emphasized their humanistic and democratic inclination. Novelty: The study of M. M. Morozov’s and A. A. Smirnov’s works on literary criticism showed the importance of these authors’ publications in the evolution of Shakespearean study in Russia, having refused ideas of vulgar sociologization of the past and attempts to adapt Christopher Marlowe’s works into the context of the Soviet era ideology, they underlined their artistic and aesthetic value.

Keywords

A. A. Smirnov, Ch. Marlowe, Cross-cultural Communication, English Drama, Literary Criticism, Reception, M. M. Morozov, Russian-English Literature Relations, Tradition.

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Dmitry Nikolayevich Zhatkin ¹, Anna Anatolyevna Ryabova ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Translation and Methods of Translation, Penza State Technological University, Penza, Russian Federation

Abstract

Objectives: To analyze the Soviet Shakespearean scholar A.A. Anikst’s ideas about dramaturgic art of the English Elizabethan poet, Shakespeare’s predecessor, Christopher Marlowe. Methods: The methodological base of the research is based on fundamental works of classics of the Russian literary and art criticism Alexander and Alexey N. Veselovskys, V.M. Zhirmunsky, M.P. Alekseyev, Yu. D. Levin, researches in the sphere of history and theory of the Russian literary translation and Russian translated belletristic literature (A.V. Fedorov, E.G. Etkind), Russian-English literary and historical and cultural relations (G.N.Boyadzhiyev, L.E.Pinsky), history of the English literature (N.I. Storozhenko, M.M. Morozov, A.A. Smirnov, A.T. Parfyonov, R.M. Samarin). In the course of the analysis cultural and historical, comparative and historical, and biographic research methods were used. Findings: A.A. Anikst, who devoted his works to the study of Shakespeare’s creativity and theatre of his era, realized that without understanding peculiarities of art perception of the world in works of his predecessors it was impossible to estimate dramaturgic art of Elizabethan time as the unique phenomenon in the world literature and theatre history, and Shakespeare as the most considerable playwright of this era. The scientist noted the significant influence of Christopher Marlowe on the subsequent development of the English drama – improvement of an art form of drama, namely, creation of the drama action design with distinct internal unity and development of a plot around the personality of the main character, development of the concept of tragic, introduction of true poetry into drama art. Nevertheless, A.A. Anikst was not inclined to idealize Marlowe’s creative activity, noted his inability to create an image of the positive character, tendency to deliberate pomposity of monologues, bringing manifestation of individualism to extreme forms, anti-Semitic elements. A.A. Anikst paid attention to those works of Marlowe, which did not draw much attention of researchers, – “Dido, Queen of Carthage” and “The Massacre at Paris”, found the facts of Elizabethan playwrights’ cooperation and mutual influence in their creative activity. Novelty: The research of A.A. Anikst’s works on literary and art criticism showed the importance of the author’s contribution to the evolution of the Russian study of Shakespeare, in particular, the study of creativity of Shakespeare’s predecessors – Ch. Marlowe, R. Greene, T. Kid, J. Lyly, R. Peel, Th. Nash.

Keywords

A.A. Anikst, Ch. Marlowe, Cross-Cultural Communication, English Drama, Literary Criticism, Reception, Relations, Russian-English Literary Tradition.

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