A nation’s literature explains a lot about their ethos. Having taken a few semesters of Russian literature in college, I offer this observation. War, death, poverty, and societal ills loom large, as do themes of unfairness and the inability to overcome “the system” and corrupt bureaucrats. Add in malevolent leaders who revel in torment and death and it suggests that, unless you’re an noble or oligarch, life holds very little for you. There’s nothing left to do but inflict the misery on others.
@cassandra17lina I went through a "Russian literature" phase in my late teens. Very dystopian and depressing stuff. Lots of Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
@cassandra17lina sounds about right.
@cassandra17lina
I've never studied it, but my father has a Masters in Russian lit. I've heard many stories over the years to confirm your observation.
I believe he said it was Nabokov who described the Russian people as a nation of abused children. I've never found that as a direct quote, but it's certainly the picture he paints.
I think that's helpful in understanding the Russian mindset. The fight was beaten out of them centuries ago, they can't believe in change for the better.
@cassandra17lina 4th year Lit class in University - Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Solzhenitsyn, Kafka (Czech), and more - 5K pages for one course LOL . Good thing I was only taking 3 classes to finish my degree
@cassandra17lina Russian literature has been a life-long passion. Took me across Russia on the Trans Siberian Railroad, a few years back.
@cassandra17lina
Can confirm. When I was in school, russian literature was dominant in our foreign literature classes. I diligently read all of it. Can't say I hated it but I definitely did not like it. After graduation I never came back to it. I was more interested in classics from other countries such as USA, Britain, Germany etc.