Relatives

“You have single-handedly proven to me that it is possible to be both a human being and a Petersburg literary figure.”

(From VG Belinsky's letter to Panayev dated April 26, 1838)

“It seems that Panayev will reveal much more in the future than what he has done today. (...) Each new story leaves all the past by far: it is clear evidence of a brilliant talent, but it has not yet revealed itself.”

(Russian Literature in 1842, VG Belinski)

In Relatives, Panayev creates a hero who is an example of the "unnecessary person" type that stands out in 19th century Russian literature, and thinks about what kind of characteristics he has and where he acquired these characteristics, as well as what the hero needs, which he presents as a problem. He writes down his thoughts. As a “superfluous person”, Grigori Alekseich's will is constantly contradicted by action. While dreaming of many things, he remains stuck in inertia. Even though he sees love as a sublime feeling and cultivates it in his imagination, he cannot translate it into reality. The text in question, in which an example of the "unnecessary people" born of the Russian noble life in the early 19th century is portrayed, is also seen as the predecessor of Ivan Turgenev's Rudin...

(From the Promotional Bulletin)

Dough Type: 2nd Dough

Size: 13 x 19.5

First Printing Year: 2017

Number of Printings: 1st Edition

Number of Pages: 144