Yuly Aykhenvald and Petr Bitsilli: Reconstruction of the philosophical and aesthetic dialogue

Abstract

The article compares for the first time the philosophical and aesthetic views on Russian literature and language of two prominent representatives of Russian abroad — the critic Yu.I. Aykhenvald (1872–1928) and the medievalist, interpreter of Russian classics P.M. Bitsilli (1879–1953). A full overview of factual materials identified to date is given, confirming the mutual interest of Yu.I. Aykhenvald and P.M. Bitsilli: documents from P.M. Bitsilli collection at the Institute of Russian literature (Pushkin House) of the RAS, Yu.I.Aykhenvald’s review from the Berlin newspaper “Rul'”on P.M. Bitsilli’s “Studies on Russian Poetry”, obituary of Yu.I. Aykhenvald, which was published by P.M. Bitsilli in the Sofia newspaper “Golos”. Among the issues raised are the impact which Aykhenvald’s immanent method of analyzing a literary text had on P.M. Bitsilli’s aesthetically individualizing method, the approaches of both authors to solving the morphology of Russian culture and philosophy of the nation, the connection of the Pushkin theme with thoughts about the fate of post-revolutionary Russia and Russian language in their works, which they articulated during the discussion of S. and A. Volkonsky’s book “In defense of the Russian language”.

Keywords

• yu.i. aykhenvald
• p.m. bitsilli
• russian literature
• language
• aesthetics
• pushkin tradition
• immanent method
• philosophy of the nation
• morphology of culture