Vasily Rozanov
Encyclopedia
Vasily Vasilievich Rozanov ' onMouseout='HidePop("83160")' href="/topics/Vetluga">Vetluga
- 1919, Sergiyev Posad
) was one of the most controversial Russia
n writers and philosophers of the pre-revolution
ary epoch. His views have been termed the "religion of procreation", as he tried to reconcile Christian teachings with ideas of healthy sex
and family life and not, as his adversary Nikolai Berdyaev
put it, "to set up sex in opposition to the Word". Because of phallic notions in his writings, Klaus von Beyme
called him the Rasputin
of the Russian intelligence.
Rozanov's mature works are deeply personal diaries, which contain his intimate thoughts, impromptu
lines, unfinished maxims, vivid aphorism
s, reminiscences, and short essay
s. These collections, attempting to recreate intonations of spoken speech, form a loosely-connected trilogy
: Solitaria (1911), and the two-volume Fallen Leaves (1913; 1915).
Rozanov frequently referred to himself as Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Underground Man, and proclaimed his right to espouse contrary opinions at the same time. He first attracted attention in the 1890s when he published political sketches in the conservative newspaper Novoye Vremya
, owned and run by Aleksey Suvorin
. His comments, always paradoxical and sparking controversy, would lead him to clashes with radicals (like Lenin) and the Tsarist government alike.
Thus, Rozanov readily passed from a blasting criticism of Russian Orthodoxy
and even of what he saw as the Christian preoccupation with death to the fervent praise of Christian faith
, from the praise of Judaism
to unabashed anti-Semitism
, and from acceptance of homosexuality
as yet another side of human nature to vitriolic accusations of Gogol and some other writers of latent homosexuality. His statements of politics remind of Dada
in proclaiming politics as "obsolete": "God doesn't want politics anymore". He constructed an "apocalypse of our times" and recommended the "healthy instincts" of the Russian people, their longing for authority and their criticism of modernism against it.
Rozanov starved to death in a cloister in the hungry years following the Revolution. His work was largely forgotten in the Soviet Union
even though some prominent writers (including Maxim Gorky
, Vladimir Nabokov
and Venedikt Erofeev
) were among his admirers. Recently, his paradoxical writings have once again become available to Russian readers, and have experienced somewhat of a resurgence among audiences sympathetic to Rozanov's political views. Rozanov is the main source of inspiration for Dmitry Galkovsky
's 1988 philosophical novel The Infinite Deadlock, which revises 19th century Russian history and places Rozanov at the center of Russian philosophical thought. Still, Rozanov remains little known outside of Russia, though Western scholars of Russian culture have become increasingly fascinated by his work and his persona.
Vetluga
Vetluga is a town and the administrative center of Vetluzhsky District of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Vetluga River. Population: It was founded in 1636 and granted town status in 1778....
- 1919, Sergiyev Posad
Sergiyev Posad
Sergiyev Posad is a city and the administrative center of Sergiyevo-Posadsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia. It grew in the 15th century around one of the greatest of Russian monasteries, the Trinity Lavra established by St. Sergius of Radonezh. The town status was granted to it in 1742...
) was one of the most controversial Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n writers and philosophers of the pre-revolution
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
ary epoch. His views have been termed the "religion of procreation", as he tried to reconcile Christian teachings with ideas of healthy sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
and family life and not, as his adversary Nikolai Berdyaev
Nikolai Berdyaev
Nikolai Alexandrovich Berdyaev was a Russian religious and political philosopher.-Early life and education:Berdyaev was born in Kiev into an aristocratic military family. He spent a solitary childhood at home, where his father's library allowed him to read widely...
put it, "to set up sex in opposition to the Word". Because of phallic notions in his writings, Klaus von Beyme
Klaus von Beyme
Klaus von Beyme is Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the University of Heidelberg.- Education :...
called him the Rasputin
Grigori Rasputin
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was a Russian Orthodox Christian and mystic who is perceived as having influenced the latter days of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their only son Alexei...
of the Russian intelligence.
Rozanov's mature works are deeply personal diaries, which contain his intimate thoughts, impromptu
Impromptu
An impromptu is a free-form musical composition with the character of an ex tempore improvisation as if prompted by the spirit of the moment, usually for a solo instrument, such as piano...
lines, unfinished maxims, vivid aphorism
Aphorism
An aphorism is an original thought, spoken or written in a laconic and memorable form.The term was first used in the Aphorisms of Hippocrates...
s, reminiscences, and short essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
s. These collections, attempting to recreate intonations of spoken speech, form a loosely-connected trilogy
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
: Solitaria (1911), and the two-volume Fallen Leaves (1913; 1915).
Rozanov frequently referred to himself as Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Underground Man, and proclaimed his right to espouse contrary opinions at the same time. He first attracted attention in the 1890s when he published political sketches in the conservative newspaper Novoye Vremya
Novoye Vremya (newspaper)
Novoye Vremya was a Russian newspaper published in St. Petersburg from 1868 to 1917. Until 1869 it came out five times a week; thereafter it came out every day, and from 1881 there were both morning and evening editions...
, owned and run by Aleksey Suvorin
Aleksey Suvorin
Aleksei Sergeevich Suvorin was an immensely rich newspaper and book publisher and journalist whose publishing empire wielded considerable influence during the last decades of the Russian Empire.He set out as a liberal journalist but, as many of his...
. His comments, always paradoxical and sparking controversy, would lead him to clashes with radicals (like Lenin) and the Tsarist government alike.
Thus, Rozanov readily passed from a blasting criticism of Russian Orthodoxy
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
and even of what he saw as the Christian preoccupation with death to the fervent praise of Christian faith
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, from the praise of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
to unabashed anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
, and from acceptance of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
as yet another side of human nature to vitriolic accusations of Gogol and some other writers of latent homosexuality. His statements of politics remind of Dada
Dada
Dada or Dadaism is a cultural movement that began in Zurich, Switzerland, during World War I and peaked from 1916 to 1922. The movement primarily involved visual arts, literature—poetry, art manifestoes, art theory—theatre, and graphic design, and concentrated its anti-war politics through a...
in proclaiming politics as "obsolete": "God doesn't want politics anymore". He constructed an "apocalypse of our times" and recommended the "healthy instincts" of the Russian people, their longing for authority and their criticism of modernism against it.
Rozanov starved to death in a cloister in the hungry years following the Revolution. His work was largely forgotten in 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....
even though some prominent writers (including Maxim Gorky
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov , primarily known as Maxim Gorky , was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.-Early years:...
, Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov was a multilingual Russian novelist and short story writer. Nabokov wrote his first nine novels in Russian, then rose to international prominence as a master English prose stylist...
and Venedikt Erofeev
Venedikt Erofeev
Venedict Vasilyevich Yerofeyev or Erofeev or Erofeyev was a Russian writer.-Biography:Yerofeyev was born in the small settlement Niva-2, a suburb of Kandalaksha, Murmansk Oblast. His father was imprisoned during Stalin's purges but survived 16 years in the gulags. Most of Yerofeyev's childhood...
) were among his admirers. Recently, his paradoxical writings have once again become available to Russian readers, and have experienced somewhat of a resurgence among audiences sympathetic to Rozanov's political views. Rozanov is the main source of inspiration for Dmitry Galkovsky
Dmitry Galkovsky
Dmitry Yevgenyevich Galkovsky is a Russian novelist, essayist, journalist, philosopher, blogger. Most famous as author of the novel The Infinite Deadlock .-Biography:...
's 1988 philosophical novel The Infinite Deadlock, which revises 19th century Russian history and places Rozanov at the center of Russian philosophical thought. Still, Rozanov remains little known outside of Russia, though Western scholars of Russian culture have become increasingly fascinated by his work and his persona.