“Extinguished Torches” of the Generation of the 1880s

This article deals with the collective myth of generation Russian intellectuals in 1880s. inherits from Enlightenment and Romanticism about hero Prometheus, Christian martyr created “civil poetry” journalism 1840s–1860s. The resists surrounding “darkness” social passivity a repressive regime. socially passive outsider becomes his antipode. 1880s embodies similar collision, an active heroic nucleus standing out (the Narodnaya Volya radicals, “torches”) periphery that sympathises them (passive, reflective, “children night” Merezhkovsky’s allegory). self-immolator Grachevsky became symbolic figure for former, poet Nadson latter. Nadson’s influence extends far beyond era, forming system clichés expressing depressive moods intelligentsia. These two dimensions literature are represented, respectively, by metaphors “fiery myth” unprecedented variety “night lyrical poetry poets sorrow” later romantics. Both myths united situation trauma, premature death, role intellectual as martyr. In poetry, allegory “extinguished torch” Nadson, Fofanov, Merezhkovsky mediates between these worldviews. returns to symbolism fire early twentieth century, during revolution 1905–1907, post-revolutionary era 1920s.