Ask a ruski

Meus amigos, minha amiga russa, professora de literatura russa, Elvina, se prontificou a responder duvidas sobre literatura russa em geral aqui no fórum, portanto quem puder mande questões em inglês, quem não souber inglês pode postar em português que nós traduzimos pra ela.

Não valem perguntas do tipo "cê tem churanha?", por favor.

hahahaha Droga! Foi a única pergunta que eu tinha em mente!

Elvina, what do you think about Russian Medieval Literature? It was already a great nation of poets? And the most important question: In Medieval Times, there was a real Russian Language established? Or everybody just wrote in latin?

Long text alert.

No one wrote in Latin in here for sure. We were on the East Roman Empire side. Byzantium kinda had to deal with russians being all over the place after Oleg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleg_of_Novgorod pretty much coolest guy ever, check out what Pushkin wrote of him) putted shield on the gates of Constantinople. By that time some kind East-Slavic panlanguage existed, but there was no such thing as national language.
Around IX century Czechs (western slavic language) asked greeks for a guy who would translate Bible for them, because they decided to get all orthodox (in the end the turned Catholic not to mess with Germans around them). Those two guys who were amazingly cool and bad-ass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saints_Cyril_and_Methodius) decided to create a special interslavic religious language (Old Slavic or Church slavic as we call it now). Which later spread between southern and eastern slavic tribes and they all turned Christian. Exactly this language, very similar to what people actually speak around the time so everyone could understand, yet not natural language and not related to any nation in particular, was the key to beginning of literature of those people. Brothers invented graphics too. Yeah, that one you hate because it is unreadable for users of latin alphabet.
This language and the language people actually speak mixed up in the end as two style variants and in the end russian was born, but with many troubles we had he modern language only came here around 19th century - Pushkin invented it with a little help of his friends.

So medieval lit was of course connected to church and written in Old Slavic, which associated with education and so people showed up their smart arses using it.

If you ask for Homer in here - we had one. We don't know his name though. But he wrote one most influential book in whole russian literature which we found again around 1810s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Igor%27s_Campaign I read it in original and in every translation possible and i love it. But then again I am crazy.
Russian literature was close to orthodox church which considered author should be humble and never use his name as his deed is God's deed and not of his own, so we lost the name of people who wrote the books.
three types of books:
1. religious i.e. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_of_Alexander_Nevsky
2. historical i.e. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_Chronicle
3. civil i.e. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Journey_Beyond_the_Three_Seas
Actually there is a list of good books between XII and XVII centuries. And some of them are even not about saints. But I doubt they are translated.

That's actually the hard question as whole medieval history of eastern Europe is badly known by people of other regions. Not to mention no one knows those books exist.

Oh! Sorry about the reference to the latin language, I'm so used with the
Western Europe, Latin, Catholic Church and all that. But thank you for the
answer, it was just great! You give a FUCKIN' LESSON about the
establishment of Russian Literature and that was really awesome!
Just for the record: I always thought that Pushkin was the coolest guy
ever.

NOW THIS IS MY BOY! Pushkin FTW

One of the coolest and repeated questions ever, but I guess you can finish it: Who's the most popular, Tolstói or Dostoiévski?

I must say, Tolstoy is pretty much accepted as people's writer, which can be understood by anyone. While Dostoevsky is the stuff of artschools, higher education and bigger brain mass. Some prejudice around him connected with popular opinion he is not a writer for everyone.
In school students hate to read War and Peace (god it is giant), yet most love to read Crime and Punishment (which is a teen book to be honest). As result not many people actually end up Tolstoy fans. So Fedya wins by readers' numbers.

Becco, I am just 22 and happen to be a nerd, that's really nothing special. Yet I am super flattered.
And yay for John Simm userpics.

So in Russia Dostoiévski is biggest one, while Tolstoy is a hit on USA?

That's not possible. Twilight is hit in the states. Tolstoy is read by couple of geeks and that's it.
Give the guy a break - he wrote some good books. Pity is that he later said they were work of the devil and we should walk barefoot and churches are evil.

Consider the movie about his last days, consider Anna Karenina being adapted with that girl from Pirates and being sold by Oprah. He was re-discovered there, we can't deny that.

Onegin meant nothing for Pushkin's fame. Which is sad. But movie is sad itself.

Hi Elvina

Here in Brazil, "The Lady with the little Dog" it was once considered the best short story in the history. Is that so important in Russia?

Saint Sebastian escreveu:Yet most love to read Crime and Punishment (which is a teen book to be honest).

Saint Sebastian escreveu:Becco, I am just 22 and happen to be a nerd, that's really nothing special. Yet I am super flattered.
And yay for John Simm userpics.

OK, so I'm still the oldest one around.
I thought u were a grey-haired 60 years old lady.

Since we're talking about popularity, is it true our most-hated Paulo Coelho is a best-seller in Russia?

Mat

I myself love "Lady" and "Dragonfly" and consider them the works of the same importance as "Demons" for example. Yet there is nothing around this particular text for russian reader. it is good and we ahve wonderful movie yet nothing special. All Chekhov short stories in whole though are considered to be the greatest creation of russian realistic lit. More than this the humoristic short stories are the first thing you read in school. So everyone here knows. But as Chekhov was genius by his amazing language it's hard to translate his shorts, this is why his plays are more important outside the country. And you are lucky to have a good translator.
Chekhov, Pushkin and Gogol are my favourite writers mostly because they can be understandable and enjoyable for school kid and professor of lit. Different levels of perception yet the same level of pleasure. That's what I call art.

Becco

He was a best-seller about 5-6 years ago read by architecture students and girls with fake glasses. And his rival was Haruki Murakami. God knows I tried to read. But then a lightning struck me.

Saint Sebastian escreveu:And his rival was Haruki Murakami. God knows I tried to read. But then a lightning struck me.

Elvina, three questions;

Why you love Pushkin so much?

What you consider to be the best works to start in russian lit life?

Can you post a pic of your mom here?

César escreveu:Can you post a pic of your mom here?

Do u have a crush on her mom?

MILFs and literature = FUN

Becco escreveu:

César escreveu:Can you post a pic of your mom here?

Do u have a crush on her mom?

Her mom is a dream <3

tupinambá escreveu:MILFs and literature = FUN

Deauxma <3

Now this thread is about milf porn.

I probably have to answer and post pics. This is my duty. Because I am a teacher.
But the question is so important for me (Alexander Pushkin one), it would take a swettmotherofgod amount if time to answer. I have to prepare my books and swords.

Prepare your mom <333

What about Saltikov-Schedrin? How is he considerate in Russia today?
For I think he is one of the best Russian writers ever.