The Enchanted Wanderer
Encyclopedia
The Enchanted Wandered is a short novel by Nikolai Leskov
, first published in Russky mir newspaper in 1873 (issues ## 272, 274, 276, 279, 281, 283, 286, 288, 290, 293, 295, 297, 300, 302, 304, 307, 309 and 311).
and the Valaam
monastery. In January Leskov sent the first version of the story, entitled Black Earth Thelemacus (Черноземный Телемак) to Russky vestnik, but Mikhail Katkov
rejected it. In March Leskov sent the manucript to the Dostoyevsky's Grazndanin magazine, again to no avail. According to N.A.Lyubimov od Russky vestnik, "Apart from some episodes, with Filaret and Saint Sergius, the whole thing appeared to more like a rough bulk of material for some future working upon… rather than the finished work, describing something real". As critic Boris Bukhstab later remarked, the story could have been construed as aimed against dvoryanstvo, weak and 'unmanly', according to the protagonist. This could have particularly upset Katkov, who had had disputes with Leskov previously, on that particular matter.
… Adjutant-General Sergey Egorovich Kushelev visited me, asking for a manuscript to be taken to the Court so that Empress consort Maria Aleksanrovna could read it. This started my friendship with several houses which at the time regarded beau monde, particularly the Kushelev house where I've been received as a friend. There I met a lot of interesting people," Leskov remembered.
Nikolay Mikhaylovsky in 1895, re-assessing the whole of Leskov's legacy, wrote: "In terms of fabula reachness it might have been Leskov's most significant work, but total lack of focus is more than obvious so there is no fibula as such, rather a set of fabulas, stringed together, so that any bead could be removed and replaced by another, and any number of other beads could be put onto the same string". Later critics praized The Enchanted Wandered as one of Leskov’s masterpieces where, according to D.S.Mirsky, the author used his unique gift of a storyteller to the fullest effect.
-type of a character has been "promised to God" by his mother but refused to join the monastery as a young man, ignoring all the "signs", allegedly pointing him the way. The rest of his life he sees as a "punishment" for this, and after all becomes a monk, driven though not by spiritual motives, but rather by poverty and having nowhere else to go.
Nikolai Leskov
Nikolai Semyonovich Leskov was a Russian journalist, novelist and short story writer, who also wrote under the pseudonym M. Stebnitsky. Praised for his unique writing style and innovative experiments in form, held in high esteem by Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov and Maxim Gorky among others, Leskov is...
, first published in Russky mir newspaper in 1873 (issues ## 272, 274, 276, 279, 281, 283, 286, 288, 290, 293, 295, 297, 300, 302, 304, 307, 309 and 311).
Background
The original idea for the story to Leskov after his visiting in 1872 Lake LadogaLake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
and the Valaam
Valaam
Valaam, also known historically by the Finnish name Valamo, is an archipelago in the northern portion of Lake Ladoga, lying within the Republic of Karelia, Russian Federation. The total area of its more than 50 islands is 36 km². The largest island is also called Valaam. It is best known as...
monastery. In January Leskov sent the first version of the story, entitled Black Earth Thelemacus (Черноземный Телемак) to Russky vestnik, but Mikhail Katkov
Mikhail Katkov
Mikhail Nikiforovich Katkov was a conservative Russian journalist influential during the reign of Alexander III.Katkov was born of a Russian government official and a Georgian noblewoman...
rejected it. In March Leskov sent the manucript to the Dostoyevsky's Grazndanin magazine, again to no avail. According to N.A.Lyubimov od Russky vestnik, "Apart from some episodes, with Filaret and Saint Sergius, the whole thing appeared to
Dedication
The original vesion of The Enchanted Wanderer came out with a dedication to Sergey Egorovich Kushelev, an infantry general, close to the Russian Court, and Leskov's friend. "In the Autumn of 1872 as I've written The Sealed AngelThe Sealed Angel
-English translations:* from Russian Sketches, Chiefly of Peasant Life. Translated by Beatrix Tollemache- External links :* . The original Russian text....
… Adjutant-General Sergey Egorovich Kushelev visited me, asking for a manuscript to be taken to the Court so that Empress consort Maria Aleksanrovna could read it. This started my friendship with several houses which at the time regarded beau monde, particularly the Kushelev house where I've been received as a friend. There I met a lot of interesting people," Leskov remembered.
Reception
Contemporary critics's reaction was generally lukewarm. NarodnikNarodnik
Narodniks was the name for Russian socially conscious members of the middle class in the 1860s and 1870s. Their ideas and actions were known as Narodnichestvo which can be translated as "Peopleism", though is more commonly rendered "populism"...
Nikolay Mikhaylovsky in 1895, re-assessing the whole of Leskov's legacy, wrote: "In terms of fabula reachness it might have been Leskov's most significant work, but total lack of focus is more than obvious so there is no fibula as such, rather a set of fabulas, stringed together, so that any bead could be removed and replaced by another, and any number of other beads could be put onto the same string". Later critics praized The Enchanted Wandered as one of Leskov’s masterpieces where, according to D.S.Mirsky, the author used his unique gift of a storyteller to the fullest effect.
Synopsis
The protagonist, Ivan Flyagin, a bogatyrBogatyr
The bogatyr was a medieval heroic warrior of Kievan Rus' and the Novgorodian Republic, akin to a Western European knight errant.- Kievan Rus' :...
-type of a character has been "promised to God" by his mother but refused to join the monastery as a young man, ignoring all the "signs", allegedly pointing him the way. The rest of his life he sees as a "punishment" for this, and after all becomes a monk, driven though not by spiritual motives, but rather by poverty and having nowhere else to go.
English translations
- The Enchanted Wanderer: Selected Tales, Modern Library Classics, 2003. ISBN 0812966961
External links
- Очарованный странник. The original Russian text.