Syncretic nature of of M.Yu. Levidov’s creativity

Abstract

Such features of M.Yu. Levidov's verbal creativity as versatile productivity and syncretism of writing are considered. These qualities, as a kind of creative constant, were inherent in his printed products throughout his life. To substantiate this thesis, the authors conducted a periodization of the writer's work and identified three periods in it: 1) the pre-October period (1914-1917); 2) the years of greatest activity (1918-1931) and 3) the last decade (1932-1942). Having tested each of the periods for combining such types of M.Yu. Levidov's activities as journalism, literature, criticism, science, pedagogy, the authors came to the conclusion that already at an early stage Levidov showed authorial activity in the field of literature, criticism and newspaper journalism; in maturity, science and pedagogy were added to these areas, and critical activity has reached the level of “blooming complexity”. But in the last decade, due to unfavorable socio-political conditions, the scope of application of Levidov's creative energy was forced to be narrowed: theoretical work was discontinued, and practical activity was focused on literary creativity, with biographical prose becoming the most acceptable format. In this genre the text's syncretism has reached its apogee.

Keywords

• journalism
• literature
• criticism
• science
• newspaper studies
• syncretism