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Abstract:

Thinking about literature outside of the academic history of literature can be called literaturosophy by analogy with historiosophy, culturosophy and theosophy — such is the terminological proposal of the following article. By this definition, Dmitry Merezhkovsky turns out to be one of the most influential “literaturosophers” of Fin de siècle in Russia. In the light of the events of the first Russian revolution and the World War, Merezhkovsky’s literaturosophy is being politicized and eschatologised. Merezhkovsky’s reflections about Adam Mickiewicz’ are one of the evidences of this evolution. In my paper I try to outline how in his article “The Crucified People” Merezhkovsky joins the developments of the age-old Russian reception of Mickiewicz and strategically shifts receptive accents towards Mickiewicz’s messianism (of Paris period). At the same time, Merezhkovsky reveals the desired conjugation of literarosophy, political patriotism, and para-Christological visionarism in the (life-)work of the late Mickiewicz.