Dave Ross

All posts tagged with russian

6 posts found

The Kreutzer Sonata

Leo Tolstoy’s The Kreutzer Sonata is not only a profound exploration of marriage, jealousy, and the destructive power of unchecked desire but also a deeply personal work that reflects Tolstoy’s struggles and philosophical evolution. Framed as a conversation overheard on a train, the novella centers on the confession of Pozdnyshev, a man who recounts the tragic unraveling of his life and marriage. His story serves as a critique of societal norms, particularly those surrounding relationships, sexuality, and the institution of...

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We

Zamyatin’s little-known dystopian novel We influenced Ayn Rand, George Orwell external link , and Aldous Huxley, and unlike them, he had no model. Zamyatin wrote We in 1921. The Benefactor, the one ruler, assigns numbers to citizens. Society uses pure mathematics as a religion. So the novel has the influence of the Logical Positivism of the day. The novel refers to groups and individuals as “ciphers” or “unifs.” The novel is a series of journal entries by engineer I-503. He...

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Uncle Vanya

19th century Russian writer Anton Chekhov wrote the drama Uncle Vanya . Set in rural Russia during the late 19th century, the story revolves around the lives of an extended family & friends. The central character is Uncle Vanya. He is a middle-aged professor who feels disillusioned with his life and bitter about his wasted potential. The play explores themes of unfulfilled dreams, unrequited love, and the human capacity for self-deception. Uncle Vanya is infatuated with Yelena, the young and...

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The Nose

Gogol wrote “The Nose” in 1836. The satirical story is set in St. Petersburg, Russia. It follows the bizarre misadventures of Major Kovalyov and his missing nose. It is a surreal and humorous tale that explores themes of identity, social hierarchy, and absurdity. The story begins with Major Kovalyov waking up one morning to find that his nose has disappeared from his face. Shocked and bewildered, he searches frantically for his missing appendage but fails to find it. To his...

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The Death of Ivan Ilyich

Leo Tolstoy wrote and published the novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich in 1886. It tells the story of Ivan Ilyich, a high-ranking Russian bureaucrat, and his gradual realization of his own mortality as he faces a terminal illness. The novella begins with the news of Ivan Ilyich’s death, which prompts his colleagues to reflect on their own mortality briefly before resuming their daily lives. The narrative then shifts back in time to explore Ivan Ilyich’s life and the events...

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Laughter in the Dark

Vladimir Nabokov wrote and published Laughter in the Dark in 1932. The story follows the life of Albinus, a middle-aged art critic who becomes infatuated with a young aspiring actress, Margot. Albinus, a respected and affluent man, leaves his wife and enters into a passionate affair with Margot. However, as their relationship unfolds, Albinus becomes increasingly blind to Margot’s true character. Margot manipulates and deceives him. She uses him for her gain and to pursue her ambitions in the world...

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