JA and Pushkin?

[Shrager, Miriam]

Dear Seelangers,

In several of the letters (on list and off list) different people wrote 
that it is not likely that Pushkin read any of JA’s books. Some argue 
that Pushkin didn’t know English well enough. Others say that the books 
couldn’t have appeared in Russia at that time, and some even speculate 
that I could have been mistaken seeing JA while on a quick tour of the 
Licej’s dark corridors, and that I saw something which looked similar, 
but actually was not JA, etc, etc


Yes, everything is possible. I agree. However, there are three 
different issues that should be distinguished. 1) Certain similarities 
in the texts of Evgenij Onegin and Jane Austen’s novels. 2) The 
question of Jane Austen in Russia. 3) Whether Pushkin drew on JA’s 
books.

1) There are, indeed, parallels between the texts, which should be 
carefully examined and analyzed. It might be that these similarities 
originate from Pushkin’s drawing on JA, from the two authors drawing on 
a third source or common literary tradition, or are a mere coincidence. 
Whether JA was accessible at Pushkin’s time or not, or whether I saw 
the wrong cover at the Licej’s library, it will not change the fact 
that there are some textual similarities (especially between 
“Northanger Abbey” and EO).

2) Regarding the second issue, this is a historical type of question 
and should be examined accordingly. It would be best to make inquiries 
in several Russian libraries, including the Licej’s library, in order 
to find out when JA’s books first appeared in Russia.

3) Adding to what was said in point 1, even if Pushkin had access to 
JA’s book, there is no evidence that he indeed read it, as he never 
mentions it. So this third question is left entirely to speculation.

Best,
Miriam Shrager (Masha)

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