Andrey Belïy

Russian and Soviet poet, novelist, and critic. His real name was Boris Nikolaevich Bugaev. He was born into a family of mathematics professors at Moscow University, and graduated from the Moscow University Department of Mathematics. Influenced by the philosophical works of Solovyov and Nietzsche from his student days, he started out as a poet and critic, and was considered to be one of the representatives of the second generation of Russian Symbolists, along with Blok and Vyacheslav Ivanov. His early collections of poetry include Gold in Lapis Lazuli (1904), and his collection of essays includes Symbolism (1910). However, his talents were best displayed in the field of novels. Influenced by Wagner and others, he attempted to incorporate musical techniques into literature with a series of prose poems called "Symphonies," an ambitious work that testifies to the transition from poetry to prose. Following this attempt, he wrote the long novel "The Silver Dove" (1909), which was based on the traditions of Gogol and Dostoevsky and dealt with the conflict between East and West in Russia, and "Petersburg" (1913-14), which Nabokov considered one of the "greatest works of 20th-century prose." It was during this period that he became more interested in Rudolf Steiner's anthroposophy and joined the movement. However, he expressed sympathy for the 1917 revolution from the standpoint of Russian messianism, and published the long poem "Christ Is Risen" (1918). He subsequently published the autobiographical novel "The Wanderings of the Soul" (originally titled "Kochkh Letterev", 1917-18) and the autobiographical poem "First Encounter" (1921), while also giving lectures to proletarian writers, but he went into exile in Berlin for a time, and after returning to Russia he published novels such as the full-length "Moscow" (1926), numerous memoirs, and critiques, despite his isolation, and continued to write prolifically until the end. His work as a novelist had a strong influence on many Soviet and exiled writers, and his work as a critic is said to have anticipated the achievements of Russian Formalism.

[Kazuo Hasemi]

"The Wanderings of the Soul, translated by Kaori Kawabata ("20th Century Russian Novels 5", 1973, Hakusuisha)" ▽ "Petersburg, translated by Kaori Kawabata ("World Literature Collection 82", 1977, Kodansha)" ▽ "The Silver Dove, translated by Takeshi Kodaira ("World Literature 3", Shueisha Edition, 1978, Shueisha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ロシア・ソ連の詩人、小説家、批評家。本名ボリス・ニコラーエビチ・ブガーエフБорис　Николаевич　Бугаев／Boris Nikolaevich Bugaev。モスクワ大学の数学教授の家に生まれ、自身もモスクワ大学数学科を卒業した。学生時代からソロビヨフ、ニーチェの哲学的影響を受け、詩人、批評家として出発し、ブローク、ビャチェスラフ・イワーノフとともに、ロシア象徴派の第二世代を代表する存在と目された。初期の詩集に『るり色の中の黄金』（1904）など、評論集に『象徴主義』（1910）などがある。しかしその本領は小説の分野でもっともよく発揮された。ワーグナーなどの影響下に音楽の技法を文学に取り入れようとした「交響楽」とよばれる一連の散文詩は、詩から散文への移行の過程を証言する野心的習作であり、この試みを受けて、ゴーゴリ、ドストエフスキーの伝統のうえにたつ、ロシアにおける東洋と西洋の対立を扱った長編『銀の鳩(はと)』（1909）、ナボコフが「20世紀散文中の最大傑作」の一つに数えた長編『ペテルブルグ』（1913～14）が書かれた。ルドルフ・シュタイナーの人智(じんち)学への関心を強め、運動に参加するのもこの時期である。しかし、1917年の革命に対しては、ロシア・メシアニズムの立場からの共感を表明し、長詩『キリストは蘇(よみがえ)り給いぬ』（1918）を発表した。その後、自伝的小説『魂の遍歴』（原題『コーチク・レターエフ』1917～18）、自伝的長詩『最初の出会い』（1921）などを発表するかたわら、プロレタリア系作家のための講義を行うなど活躍したが、一時ベルリンに亡命し、帰国後は孤立したなかで長編『モスクワ』（1926）などの小説、数々の回想記、評論を発表し、最後まで旺盛(おうせい)な執筆活動を続けた。小説家としての仕事は数多くのソビエト作家、亡命作家に強い影響を与え、また批評家としての仕事はロシア・フォルマリズムの成果を先取りするものとされている。

［長谷見一雄］

『川端香男里訳『魂の遍歴』（『20世紀のロシア小説5』1973・白水社）』▽『川端香男里訳『ペテルブルグ』（『世界文学全集82』所収・1977・講談社）』▽『小平武訳『銀の鳩』（『集英社版世界の文学3』1978・集英社）』

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