Russian Literature
About This Tradition
Russian literature of the 19th century, often called its 'Golden Age', is renowned for its profound philosophical and psychological depth. Writers like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky grappled with the biggest questions of human existence—faith, suffering, morality, and the meaning of life. Their epic novels and searing short stories created unforgettable characters and painted a vast, realistic portrait of Russian society in a time of great turmoil and change.
Leo Tolstoy's estate, Yasnaya Polyana.
St. Petersburg, the setting for Crime and Punishment.
A Russian dacha with a cherry orchard.
Key Characteristics
- Deep psychological analysis of characters.
- Exploration of profound philosophical and spiritual themes.
- Sweeping realism and sharp social critique.
- The 'superfluous man' as a recurring archetype.
- Vast, epic scope in novels.
- A sense of impending social and political change.
Major Authors & Works
Leo Tolstoy
War and Peace
Anna Karenina
The Death of Ivan Ilyich
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Crime and Punishment
The Brothers Karamazov
Notes from Underground
Anton Chekhov
The Cherry Orchard
Three Sisters
Selected Short Stories
Alexander Pushkin
Eugene Onegin
Boris Godunov
Nikolai Gogol
Dead Souls
The Overcoat
Ivan Turgenev
Fathers and Sons
Vladimir Nabokov
Lolita
Pale Fire