Longing for World Culture

• In Event: Russophone Poetry in the Diaspora

Abstract

Russian literature emerged in the middle of the XVIII century as European literature. Medieval texts like “Zadonshchina” had no influence on it. Its further development was directly connected with the project of Catherine the Great to create a European Russian society. And the only famous monument “The Word of Igor's Regiment”, although written in the XII century, became known only by the end of the XVIII century and entered into common use in the XIX century. None of the great literary styles originated in Russia, they are all of European origin.
Now, as a result of the latest wave of departures from Putin's Russia, we find ourselves in a generally unprecedented situation where almost everything that is best in Russophone poetry has ended up in the West. Perhaps several European Russophone literatures are being born before our eyes. Although this is certainly not a geographical question and is decided for each author on an individual basis. In this talk I would like to present a few faces of American Russophone poetry.

Author

• Eugene Breydo