Two crosses of Konstantin Batiushkov
This year marks the 230th anniversary of the birth of Konstantin Nikolaevich Batyushkov (1787–1855) and the 200th anniversary of the release of his only book, the two-volume book Experiments in…

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strip tease
"The Tale" by Abraham Palitsyna
The famous figure of the Time of Troubles, Avraham Palitsyn, described the circumstances of protection from the Polish troops of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and his personal exploits in a work…

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Gogol "Wii"
When analyzing the novel “Viy”, it immediately catches the eye that it is a work in which, like in Gogol’s other early stories, romanticism is inextricably mixed with realism: genre…

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threatened that if he was

Bulgakov “Heart of a Dog”

A homeless dog Sharik, who lived in Moscow, was scrubbed with a boiling water by one cruel cook. It was December, and Sharik, with his side wounded from the burn, was threatened with starvation. He howled plaintively at the gateway, when a well dressed, intelligent-looking gentleman suddenly appeared from the door of a nearby store. To the surprise of the dog, this mysterious man threw him a piece of Krakow sausage and began to call for him.

Sharik ran after his benefactor on Prechistenka and in Obukhiv Lane. On the way, the lord threw him a second piece of Krakow. To Sharik’s even greater astonishment, a decent man called him into the luxurious entrance of a large, rich house and led all the stray dogs, the porter, past the original enemy. Continue reading

Boyardo, Matteo Maria, and his “Roland in Love”
Matteo Maria Boyardo (1434 or 1441-1494) was descended from a noble surname, who zealously served the Este family (who owned Ferrara and Modena) and received from him in 1423 fief…

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"Woe from Wit" and "Misanthrope" by Moliere
Of foreign works, the comedy by Moliere “Misanthrope” was especially important for “Woe from Wit” (see the summary, analysis and the full text). Studies by Professor Alexei Veselovsky showed that…

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