A Decayed Family
| Author | Nikolai Leskov |
|---|---|
| Original title | Захудалый род |
| Country | Russia |
| Language | Russian |
| Genre | Romantic chronicles |
| Publisher | The Russian Messenger |
Publication date | 1874 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback & Hardback) |
A Decayed Family (Захуда′лый род, Zakhudaly rod) is an unfinished novel by Nikolai Leskov, subtitled "The Family Chronicles of Princes Protazanov".[1] Parts one and two of it were first published in the 1874 Nos. 7,8 and 10 of The Russian Messenger[2] to form a trilogy with Old Years in Plodomasovo (1869) and The Cathedral Clergy (1872).[3]
History
The publication of the novel has led Leskov's severing all ties with The Russian Messenger, the main issue being the magazine's editor Mikhail Katkov's disagreement with the author's position as regards Russian dvoryanstvo. At the time of the publication Katkov (while praising the novel's artistic qualities)[4] told members of his stuff: "We've made a mistake, this is not our man, has nothing to do with us, [his departure is] not something to be pitied".[5] Outraged by editorial cuts, Leskov decided against starting upon the third part of the novel, leaving it unfinished.[1]
Leskov himself rated A Decayed Family higher than The Cathedral Clergy and The Sealed Angel, referring to it as his "most mature work" and being very close to his heart.[6] Upon the magazine publication Ivan Aksakov and Nikolai Pirogov were among those who assessed the novel very high.[1]
In 1875 A Decayed Family was published for the first time as a book. "Here its second part is presented in my own version, not that of Katkov", Leskov wrote in a letter to Ivan Aksakov on March 23, 1875.[1] As The Complete Leskov started to be published by the Suvorin publishing house, A Decayed Family was included into the Volume 6, which also featured Leskov's most radical anti-clerical essays and stories. On July 16, 1889, Leskov learned of the whole issue of Volume 6 being arrested by the police and suffered his first major heart attack. In July 1890 Volume 6 came out in the alternative version, A Decayed Family included.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Leskov, N. S. (1989). "A Decayed Family". The Works of... in 12 volumes. Pravda Publishers. Vol. VI, pp. 3-190. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- ↑ Bogayevskaya, K. P. "The Life and Works of N. S. Leskov. Timeline". az.lib.ru / The Works by N.S. Leskov in 11 voumes. Moscow. Khudozhestvennaya Literatura Publishers. 1958. Vol 11, pp. 799-834. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- ↑ D.S.Mirsky, Francis James Whitfield. Leskov. A history of Russian literature from its beginnings to 1900. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- ↑ N. Leskov's letter to A. Suvorin, 11 February 1888.
- ↑ N. Leskov's letter to M. Protopopov, 23 December 1891.
- ↑ N. Leskov's letter to A. Suvorin, 2 March 1889.
External links
- Захудалый род by Nikolai Leskov. The original Russian text.
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