COMPARISON OF CRITICAL VIEWS OF V.G. BELINSKY ON PUSHKIN, GOGOL AND LERMONTOV

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of literary-critical views of V.G. Belinsky. Belinsky was the creator of the historical and literary concept, which gave a picture of the development of Russian literature from Lomonosov to Pushkin and Gogol. For Belinsky, the main criterion of poetic dignity was nationality as an expression of the depths of national life. The thesis «we have no literature» asserted the need to create a national literature. Belinsky considered the reflection of the social phenomena of life to be the highest merit of literature. Belinsky's realistic concept asserted «real poetry», the poetry of «real life». An example of such literature was the work of Gogol, in which the critic especially appreciated nationality and originality, the ability to give artistic images a typical meaning. Belinsky believed that Pushkin created Russian literature as an art. But Belinsky unreasonably believes that Pushkin's work is devoid of pointed social significance. It is concluded that Belinsky's criticism was aimed at revolutionary changes in society, so he argued that Pushkin had fulfilled his mission and should give way to representatives of «real» poetry, such as Gogol and Lermontov. There is very little independent research on Belinsky in Iran, so this article attempts to compare Belinsky's critical views on Pushkin, Gogol and Lermontov. In modern Iranian literary criticism, insufficient attention is paid to the study of the creative heritage of one of the most influential literary critics of the first half of the 19th century, V.G. Belinsky. This article provides a comparative analysis of Belinsky’s ideas that determine the significance of Pushkin, Gogol and Lermontov for the development of Russian literature.