Andrei Bely

Andrei Bely was the pseudonym of Boris Nikolaevich Bugaev (1880 - 1934), a Russian novelist, poet, theorist, and literary critic. His creative works followed theories of different kinds in different periods (mystical, musical, symbolist ideas current of the early 20th century) which lead to striking, unusual prose styles and methods. His methods and impact could be compared to James Joyce (in English language literature). The impact of mystical ideas on his music could be compared to Charles Ives (the American composer).

Readers commonly consider his symbolist novel Petersburg (1913) to be his masterpiece. It is vivid and memorable, with a unusual prose method in which for example sounds evoke colors. Set in a time of social chaos, revolutionaries unknowingly assign the protagonist comrade to assassinate a government official, who is his own father. The protaganist is pursued through the city streets by the ringing hooves of the famous bronze statue of Peter the Great.

Bibliography

• 1902 "Second Symphony, the Dramatic";
• 1904 "The Northern, or First--Heroic";
• 1904 "Gold in Azure" (poetry);
• 1905 "The Return--Third";
• 1908 "Goblet of Blizzards--Fourth";
• 1909 "Ash";
• 1909 "Urn" (poetry);
• 1910 "Symbolism" (criticism/theory);
• 1910 "Green Meadow" (criticism);
• 1910 "The Silver Dove" (novel);
• 1911 "Arabeques" (criticism);
• 1914 "Kotik Letaev" (novel based on his childhood);
• 1917 "Revolution and Culture";
• 1918 "Christ Has Risen" (poem);
• 1922 "Recollections of Blok";
• 1926 "The Moscow Eccentric" (1st of trilogy of novels);
• 1926 "Moscow Under Seige" (2nd of trilogy of novels);
• 1927 "The Baptized Chinaman";
• 1931 "Masks" (3rd of trilogy of novels);
• 1930 "At the Border of Two Centuries" (1st memoir of trilogy);
• 1933 "The Beginning of the Century" (2nd memoire of trilogy);
• 1934 "Between Two Revolutions" (3rd memoire of trilogy);
• 1934 "Rhythm as Dialectic in The Bronze Horseman" (criticism);
• 1934 "The Mastery of Gogol" (criticism);