Tolstoi and Austen

[Michael Denner]

i wanted to second dr nepomnyashchy remark. tolstoy never read austen, and if he had heard of her, she was undifferentiated from other british novelists of the time, eg burney,

in fact, i would hazard that by and large austen's fame is a 20th-century phenomenon, mostly attributable to the bloomsbury group's promotion of her. i would be very interested to find, for instance, that ANY russian novelist (or french, or german) of the 19th c. was terribly familiar with her work, or found it remarkable to any degree. (i'm a lover of austen, but that doesn't change her historical role.) 

i'll probably be proved wrong...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
   Dr. Michael A. Denner
   Associate Professor of Russian Studies
   Editor, Tolstoy Studies Journal
   Director, University Honors Program


   Contact Information:
      Russian Studies Program
      Stetson University
      Campus Box 8361
      DeLand, FL 32720-3756
      386.822.7381 (department)
      386.822.7265 (direct line)
      386.822.7380 (fax)

      google talk michaeladenner
      www.stetson.edu/~mdenner
________________________________________
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of cn29 at COLUMBIA.EDU [cn29 at COLUMBIA.EDU]
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 5:45 PM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Tolstoi and Austen

Dear Edie,

Having spent a fair amount of time researching Austen in Russia, I
have found no evidence of Tolstoi having read Jane Austen.  Moreover,
the main librarian at Yasnaya Polyana has assured me that there is no
mention of Austen in Tolstoi's writings.  I would be happy to share
with your friend what I have published on the history of Austen in
Russia.  Best wishes, Cathy
--
Catharine Nepomnyashchy
Ann Whitney Olin Professor and Chair, Slavic Department
Barnard College
212 854-2059


Quoting Edythe Haber <Edythe.Haber at UMB.EDU>:

> A friend of mine (an English professor) asked me whether there is
> any evidence that Tolstoi read Jane Austen.  I don't know, but if
> those of you out there who do know could let me know, I'd much
> appreciate it.
>
> Best,
> Edie Haber
>
>
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