“A Strange Romance,” or Abelard and Héloïse in Russia of the 18th Century

Abstract

The article gives an analysis of the first Russian translation of Abelard and Héloïse’s letters (The Collection of Abelard and Héloïse’s Letters with the Life Description of These Miserable Lovers) made by A.I. Dmitriev in 1783 from Count Bussy-Raboutin’s French retelling. A comparative analysis of Dmitriev’s translation with the original text shows the conventional character of their connection. Following Bussy, Dmitriev not always sticks to the Latin original even in the main storylines. Even if he retains the canvas of the original medieval text, he supplements it with countless details: a portrait of a lover, a tear-drenched letter, mad passion. A similar transformation takes place with the Historia Calamitatum in the retelling made by Augustus von Kotzebue. In prefaces both authors designate their works as “female” reading. The interest in the story of two lovers is probably caused by the recent release of J.-J. Rousseau’s Julie, or the New Heloise. The choice of material, the nature of its adaptation, the appeal to women and the circumstances of the publication of Dmitriev’s translation and Kotzebue’s retelling demonstrate the commitment of these authors to sentimentalism, which explains their desire to cause tears in the eyes of their readers.

Keywords

• abelard
• héloïse
• a.i. dmitriev
• kotzebue
• sentimentalism
• medievalism
• letter
• translation
• original version.