Authors’ names:
Yulia N. Varpaeva, Аleksandra А. Loginova – Linguistics University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
Abstract:
This article examines aspects of Alexander S. Pushkin’s works as analyzed by translator, teacher, German Slavist, and bibliographer Arthur Luther, author of The History of Russian Literature, published in 1924 in Leipzig. Luther was deeply familiar with Russian culture and literature through his work as a translator and educator, aiming to foster mutual understanding between Russian and German readers. His approach represents a distinctive attempt to comprehend the literature of another nation “from within” and to convey this perspective through culturally familiar German literary concepts. Luther’s work presents Pushkin objectively, highlighting the major stages of his career and evaluating the artistic significance of his oeuvre in Russia. The poet’s biography illuminates shifts in his worldview, examines themes such as the poet and society, and emphasizes the role of the poet in art, supported by professional verse translations rather than the interlinear prose translations used in Aleksander Brückner’s A Literary History of Russia (1905). Comparisons with Brückner reveal that his Eurocentric approach sometimes led to distortions, whereas Luther’s extended residence and pro-fessional engagement in Russia allowed him to offer a more accurate and nuanced perspective. Today, Luther’s insights remain relevant for both Russian- and German-speaking audiences.
| Section | CROSS-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF LITERARY DISCOURSE |
| DOI: | 10.47388/2072-3490/lunn2025-72-4-178-190 |
| Downloads | 146 |
| Key words | Arthur Luther; Aleksander Brückner; Alexander S. Pushkin; reception of Pushkin’s works abroad; German-language Slavic studies; conception of Pushkin’s art and life |