Равенна в формировании дантовского кода русского символизма Ravenna v formirovanii dantovskogo koda russkogo simvolizma

Ravenna in the Formation of the Dantean Code of Russian Symbolism This article explores the influence of Dante Alighieri on Russian Symbolism, particularly focusing on the role of Ravenna in shaping this influence. It is dedicated to the memory of Svyatoslav Belza, a pioneer in the study of Dante's impact on Russian literature. While Dante's works were known in Russia before Symbolism, it was the Symbolist movement that truly rediscovered him for Russian readers, elevating him to the status of a classic alongside Shakespeare and Goethe. Valery Bryusov played a crucial role in this rediscovery. Bryusov's early works already feature Dante as a figure of a misunderstood genius, drawing parallels with his own experience of literary rejection following the publication of "Russian Symbolists." His engagement with Dante deepened significantly in 1904 when he was invited to translate "The Divine Comedy." Bryusov's preference for translating "Inferno" reveals a key aspect of the Symbolist perception of Dante: the infernal Dante, the artist who descends into Hell to later ascend to Paradise. This "Dantean code" became characteristic of Russian Symbolism, emphasizing suffering, courage in the face of the unknown, and a high poetic mission. Bryusov's poem "To a Poet" (1907) embodies this code, portraying the poet as a Dantean figure marked by suffering. This poem profoundly influenced Alexander Blok, most notably in his poem "Song of Hell" (1909) and his article "On the Present State of Russian Symbolism" (1910). Blok connected Dante's journey through Hell with the Symbolist concept of art as a descent into the infernal. A significant moment in Blok's engagement with Dante was his trip to Italy in 1909, during which he visited Ravenna. His letters and poems from this period, particularly "Ravenna" from the "Italian Poems" cycle, depict the city as a preserved space of early Christian art, where he encountered Dante's legacy, particularly through "La Vita Nuova." However, Bryusov was not the only influence on Blok's perception of Ravenna and Dante. Vyacheslav Ivanov also played a crucial role, bringing Ravenna into Russian poetry. Ivanov's 1902 collection "Pilot Stars" (Kormchie zvezdy), with its epigraph from Dante's "Purgatorio," reveals his deep engagement with Italian culture. His sonnet "The Pinewood" (La pineta) connects the Ravenna pinewood with Dante's description in "Purgatorio," highlighting the theme of death and rebirth. Unlike Blok's focus on the Eternal Feminine, Ivanov emphasizes the cyclical nature of life and death, finding a glimmer of life even in decay. The article then compares Blok's and Ivanov's interpretations of Ravenna, noting the different emphasis on themes such as the Eternal Feminine versus the cycle of life and death. While Blok focuses on the terrible aspect of the Eternal Feminine and the confrontation between the eternal and ephemeral, Ivanov explores the dialectic between death and nascent life, finding a way out of grief and sleep through the glimmer of life in the decaying earth. In essence, the article argues that Ravenna, through the lens of Dante's works, played a vital role in shaping the "Dantean code" of Russian Symbolism, impacting key figures like Bryusov, Blok, and Ivanov, each of whom interpreted Dante and Ravenna in unique ways.