P.V. Annenkov’s Unknown Criticism of the Comedy “Otrezanny Lomot’ (Self-Sufficient Person)” by A.A. Potekhin

Abstract

The article considers and comments on the previously unknown P.V. Annenkov’s critique of A.A. Potekhin's comedy “Self-Sufficient Person”. The review was written by the critic in 1866 at request of the Academy of Sciences. Potekhin's play was nominated for the Count Uvarov’s prize, an annual literature award ajudged by a special commission of the Academy of Sciences. Annenkov's opinion is of interest as a detailed analysis of the popular play written by one of the most famous critics of the time and as an episode of the history of the literature award. like other experts, Annenkov (as well as many other experts) applies very strict criteria conditioned by the aesthetic theory of the mid-XIXth century which actually had very little to do with the reality of the Russian stage of the period.

Keywords

• literary criticism
• drama
• literature awards
• p.v. annenkov
• a.a. potekhin