On the Evolution of Interpretations of the Image of Grigory Melekhov in the Soviet Literary Criticism

Occupation: Professor of the Department of World Literature and Comparative Literature in the School of Literature and Journalism
Affiliation: Sichuan University (Cnina)
Address: China, Chengdu

Journal name

Izvestiia Rossiiskoi akademii nauk. Seriia literatury i iazyka

Edition

Volume 80 Issue 6

Pages

46-52

Abstract

The article examines the history of Soviet literary criticism, dedicated to the image of Grigory Melekhov – the main character of M.A. Sholokhov’s novel “And Quiet Flows the Don”. It is noted that at the initial stage of literary criticism the interpretations contained vulgar overtones closely related to the ideological perception of the image of Grigory Melekhov. Researchers distinguished the opposite components within the image (“two Gregory&8j1;), but primarily they were concerned with the so-called ideological faults of the character. After the death of I.V. Stalin, the mainstream Soviet criticism seems to have changed its direction, rethinking the image of Grigory Melekhov as that of the “prodigal son” among his people. Yet another, the third turn in critical thought occurred in the 1970s and 1980s, when the critics were able to completely abandon the vulgar sociological interpretations of the character of Grigory Melekhov, approaching Sholokhov’s work on the terms suggested by the writer himself.

Keywords

M.A. Sholokhov, “And Quiet Flows the Don”, Grigory Melekhov, literary criticism

Received

29.12.2021

Publication date

29.12.2021

Number of characters

19370

Cite

GOST	Yadin L. On the Evolution of Interpretations of the Image of Grigory Melekhov in the Soviet Literary Criticism // Izvestiia Rossiiskoi akademii nauk. Seriia literatury i iazyka – 2021. – V. 80. – Issue 6 C. 46-52 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://izv-oifn.ru/S241377150017812-6-1 (circulation date: 25.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S241377150017811-5
MLA	Yadin, Liu "On the Evolution of Interpretations of the Image of Grigory Melekhov in the Soviet Literary Criticism." Izvestiia Rossiiskoi akademii nauk. Seriia literatury i iazyka 80.6 (2021):46-52. DOI: 10.31857/S241377150017811-5
APA	Yadin L. (2021). On the Evolution of Interpretations of the Image of Grigory Melekhov in the Soviet Literary Criticism. Izvestiia Rossiiskoi akademii nauk. Seriia literatury i iazyka 80(6), pp.46-52 DOI: 10.31857/S241377150017811-5

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