The Oak and the Calf
Encyclopedia
The Oak and the Calf, subtitled Sketches of Literary Life in the Soviet Union, is a memoir by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
about his attempts to have his work published in his own country
. The book was begun in April 1967 when Solzhenitsyn was 49 years old, but supplements were added by the author in 1971, 1973, and 1974. The book was first published in Russian in 1975 under the title Бодался теленок с дубом (lit. "A Calf was Head-butting an Oak tree", which has a distinctly humorous ring in Russian). It has been translated into English by Harry Willetts.
A second, considerably expanded edition of the Russian text was produced in 1996, by the Moscow publishing house Soglasie. The additional material includes details of people who helped Solzhenitsyn in his literary tasks before his exile. The writer called these previously anonymous helpers Nevidimki (the invisible ones). These chapters have been published in English translation in a separate book called Invisible Allies.
In this autobiography, Solzhenitsyn gives a detailed account of the publication history of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
and his often complex relationship with his patron Aleksandr Tvardovsky
. Solzhentisyn's failed attempts to publish his other early novels—Cancer Ward and The First Circle
-his reactions to the political storm caused by his winning the 1970 Nobel Prize
for literature and his subsequent exile from the Soviet Union, are described in detail.
Although one of Solzhentisyn's more accessible books, the critical reception was mixed. Much was known (outside the Soviet Union
) about the author's struggles before the publication of this memoir, and the accuracy of Solzhentisyn's account has been questioned. However, this book remains an essential source on the life and times of the author.
, after his father had died. In 1921, his mother to Rostov-on-Don
(Ростов-на-Дону, Rostov-na-Donu). and Solzhentisyn joined her there in 1926. He attended school and studied physics and mathematics at Rostov State University. At the same time he studied literature and history by correspondence courses run by the Moscow University Institute of Philosophy. He began to write at this time and spent the first three months of 1937 intensively studying in the Rostov libraries,
During the World War II
, Solzhenitsyn served as the commander of a sound-ranging battery in the Red Army
, and was involved in major action at the front, and was twice decorated. In 1945, he was arrested for writing criticisms about the conduct of the war by Joseph Stalin
in letters to a friend. He was sentenced to eight years in the Gulag
. He was released in 1953 and pardoned in 1957.
He moved to Ryazan, near Moscow, to work as a mathematics teacher. He wrote his early novels and novella
s during these years. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
and The First Circle
were based on is time in the Gulag. Others, including Matryona's Place
and Cancer Ward, were based on his experiences in exile in rural Russia and Tashkent
, between 1953 and 1957.
In 1961, he sent to Alexander Tvardovsky, a poet and the chief editor of the Novy Mir (Новый Мир - "New World")
literary magazine, the manuscript of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. It was published in edited form in 1962, with the explicit approval of Nikita Khrushchev
the leader of the Soviet Union. Following Khrushchev's fall from power, the political climate in the Soviet Union hardened and the semi-liberal reforms he introduced were reverted by Leonid Brezhnev
.
Three more novellas by Solzhenitsyn were published in 1963—but these would be the last of his works published in the Soviet Union until 1990. The Oak and the Calf is Solzhenitsyn's memoir of the time from the publication of One Day to his expulsion from the Soviet Union in 1974.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn was aRussian and Soviet novelist, dramatist, and historian. Through his often-suppressed writings, he helped to raise global awareness of the Gulag, the Soviet Union's forced labor camp system – particularly in The Gulag Archipelago and One Day in the Life of...
about his attempts to have his work published in his own country
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The book was begun in April 1967 when Solzhenitsyn was 49 years old, but supplements were added by the author in 1971, 1973, and 1974. The book was first published in Russian in 1975 under the title Бодался теленок с дубом (lit. "A Calf was Head-butting an Oak tree", which has a distinctly humorous ring in Russian). It has been translated into English by Harry Willetts.
A second, considerably expanded edition of the Russian text was produced in 1996, by the Moscow publishing house Soglasie. The additional material includes details of people who helped Solzhenitsyn in his literary tasks before his exile. The writer called these previously anonymous helpers Nevidimki (the invisible ones). These chapters have been published in English translation in a separate book called Invisible Allies.
In this autobiography, Solzhenitsyn gives a detailed account of the publication history of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is a novel written by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, first published in November 1962 in the Soviet literary magazine Novy Mir . The story is set in a Soviet labor camp in the 1950s, and describes a single day of an ordinary prisoner, Ivan Denisovich Shukhov...
and his often complex relationship with his patron Aleksandr Tvardovsky
Aleksandr Tvardovsky
Aleksandr Trifonovich Tvardovsky was a Soviet poet, chief editor of Novy Mir literary magazine from 1950 to 1954 and 1958 to 1970...
. Solzhentisyn's failed attempts to publish his other early novels—Cancer Ward and The First Circle
The First Circle
In the First Circle is a novel by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn released in 1968. A fuller version of the book was published in English in 2009....
-his reactions to the political storm caused by his winning the 1970 Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for literature and his subsequent exile from the Soviet Union, are described in detail.
Although one of Solzhentisyn's more accessible books, the critical reception was mixed. Much was known (outside the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) about the author's struggles before the publication of this memoir, and the accuracy of Solzhentisyn's account has been questioned. However, this book remains an essential source on the life and times of the author.
Background
Solzhentisyn was born in 1918 in KislovodskKislovodsk
Kislovodsk is a city in Stavropol Krai, Russia, which lies in the North Caucasian region of the country, between the Black and Caspian Seas. The closest airport is located in the city of Mineralnye Vody. Population:...
, after his father had died. In 1921, his mother to Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
(Ростов-на-Дону, Rostov-na-Donu). and Solzhentisyn joined her there in 1926. He attended school and studied physics and mathematics at Rostov State University. At the same time he studied literature and history by correspondence courses run by the Moscow University Institute of Philosophy. He began to write at this time and spent the first three months of 1937 intensively studying in the Rostov libraries,
During the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Solzhenitsyn served as the commander of a sound-ranging battery in the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, and was involved in major action at the front, and was twice decorated. In 1945, he was arrested for writing criticisms about the conduct of the war by Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
in letters to a friend. He was sentenced to eight years in the Gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
. He was released in 1953 and pardoned in 1957.
He moved to Ryazan, near Moscow, to work as a mathematics teacher. He wrote his early novels and novella
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
s during these years. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is a novel written by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, first published in November 1962 in the Soviet literary magazine Novy Mir . The story is set in a Soviet labor camp in the 1950s, and describes a single day of an ordinary prisoner, Ivan Denisovich Shukhov...
and The First Circle
The First Circle
In the First Circle is a novel by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn released in 1968. A fuller version of the book was published in English in 2009....
were based on is time in the Gulag. Others, including Matryona's Place
Matryona's Place
Matryona's Place, , sometimes translated as Matryona's Home , is a novella written in 1959 by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. It is Solzhenitsyn's most read short story, and was first published in Novy Mir in 1963...
and Cancer Ward, were based on his experiences in exile in rural Russia and Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
, between 1953 and 1957.
In 1961, he sent to Alexander Tvardovsky, a poet and the chief editor of the Novy Mir (Новый Мир - "New World")
Novy Mir
Novy Mir is a Russian language literary magazine that has been published in Moscow since January 1925. It was supposed to be modelled on the popular pre-Soviet literary magazine Mir Bozhy , which was published from 1892 to 1906, and its follow-up, Sovremenny Mir , which was published 1906-1917...
literary magazine, the manuscript of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. It was published in edited form in 1962, with the explicit approval of Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
the leader of the Soviet Union. Following Khrushchev's fall from power, the political climate in the Soviet Union hardened and the semi-liberal reforms he introduced were reverted by Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
.
Three more novellas by Solzhenitsyn were published in 1963—but these would be the last of his works published in the Soviet Union until 1990. The Oak and the Calf is Solzhenitsyn's memoir of the time from the publication of One Day to his expulsion from the Soviet Union in 1974.