Abstract
The article discusses repeated attempts of Maxim Gorky to embody the image of the leader of the Russian revolution, Vladimir Ulyanov-Lenin in the verbal form, in the period from 1920 to 1930. In 1917–1918, Lenin and his allies were objects of severe criticism. In 1920, Gorky made the first attempt to represent Lenin but in fiction did it so abortively that Bolsheviks and Russian intelligentsia took it for a mockery or caricature. Right after the death of Lenin, at the beginning of 1924, Gorky wrote his famous essay “Vladimir Lenin” that for the first time, calls Lenin a man with a capital M. However, in 1930, Gorky had to considerably revise the essay under the pressure of the communist party authorities. In the second edition, the author seemingly intended to create a verbal monument to the great man, “inspirer and leader of the proletarians of all countries,” liberating his turning-into-bronze image from controversial details. In the 1930s, Lenin remained the ideal Man with a capital “M” for Gorky, but Gorky had to “correct” this ideal by adjusting it to the requirements of the time and political situation.
References
1 Amfiteatrov A. Gorestnye zamety. X. [Sad notes. Х]. Novaia russkaia zhizn’, (Gel’singfors), 1921, no 233, 11 okt. (In Russ.)
2 Berberova N. Kursiv moi: Avtobiografiia [Italics are mine: Autobiography]. Moscow, Soglasie Publ., 1996. 734 p. (In Russ.)
3 Bocharova I. A. K istorii sozdaniia vtoroi redaktsii ocherka M. Gor’kogo “V.I. Lenin” [To the history of the second edition of Gorky's essay “V.I. Lenin”]. Tekstologicheskii vremennik. Russkaia literatura XX veka: Voprosy tekstologii i istochnikovedeniia Русская литература / Н.Н. Примочкина [Textological annual. Russian literature of the 20th century: Questions of textual criticism and source studies]. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2012, book 2, pp. 135–147. (In Russ.)
4 Bunin I.A. Zapisnaia knizhka [Notebook]. I.A. Bunin. Publitsistika 1918–1953 godov [I.A. Bunin. Essays, 1918–1953]. Moscow, IWL RAS, “Nasledie” Publ., 2000, pp. 107–110. (In Russ.)
5 Gor’kii v zhurnale “Kommunisticheskii internatsional” [Gorky in the magazine Communist international], introd., with a preface and comments by L.N. Smirnova. Publitsistika M. Gor’kogo v kontekste istorii [Essays by Мaxim Gorky in historical context]. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2007, M. Gor’kii. Materialy i issledovaniia [Мaxim Gorky. Materials and studies], issue 8, pp. 252–399. (In Russ.)
6 Gor’ky M. Vladimir Lenin [Vladimir Lenin]. Russkii sovremennik, 1924, book 1, pp. 229–244. (In Russ.)
7 Gor’ky M. Nesvoevremennye mysli. Zametki o revoliutsii i kul’ture [Untimely thoughts. Notes about revolution and culture]. Moscow, Sovetskii pisatel’ Publ., 1990. 394 p. (In Russ.)
8 Gor’ky M. Polnoe sobranie sochinenii. Pis’ma: v 24 t. [Complete works. Letters: in 24 vols.]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1997–2019. (In Russ.)
9 Gor’ky M. Polnoe sobranie sochinenii. Khudozhestvennye proizvedeniia: v 25 t. [Complete works. Fiction: in 25 vols.]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1968–1976. (In Russ.)
10 Gor’ky M. Sobranie sochinenii: v 30 t. [Collected works: in 30 vols.]. Moscow, GIKhL Publ., 1949–1956. (In Russ.)
11 Lenin V.I. Polnoe sobranie sochinenii: v 55 t. [Complete works: in 55 vols.] 5nd ed. Moscow, Izd-vo politicheskoi literatury Publ., 1975. (In Russ.)
12 M. Osorgin o Gor’kom [M. Osorgin on Gorky], introd., with notes, preparation of the text by I.A. Bocharova. Publitsistika M. Gor’kogo v kontekste istorii [Essays by Мaxim Gorky in historical context]. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2007, M. Gor’kii. Materialy i issledovaniia [М. Gorky. Materials and studies], issue 8, pp. 540–559. (In Russ.)
13 Pis’ma A.N. Tikhonova M. Gor’komu 1923–1925 gg. (Iz istorii zhurnala “Russkii sovremennik”) [Letters of A.N. Tikhhonov to M. Gorky, 1923–1925 (From the history of the magazine Russian Contemporary), introd. and comments by N.N. Primochkina. Gor’kii. Neizvestnye stranitsy istorii [Gorky. Unknown pages of history]. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2014, M. Gor’kii. Materialy i issledovaniia [М. Gorky. Materials and studies], issue 12, pp. 266–337. (In Russ.)
14 Spiridonova L.A. Kontseptsiia lichnosti v sisteme filosofsko-esteticheskikh vzgliadov M. Gor’kogo [The Concept of personality in the system of philosophical and aesthetic views of Мaxim Gorky]. Kontseptsiia mira i cheloveka v tvorchestve M. Gor’kogo [Conception of the world and man in the work of М. Gorky]. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2009, M. Gor’kii. Materialy i issledovaniia [М. Gorky. Materials and studies], issue 9, pp. 9–40. (In Russ.)