Literary portraits of N. Gumilev and A. Blok as part of the myth about a Russian poet in G. Ivanov’s memoirs

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of mythologized perception of the names of the poets of the Silver Age N. Gumilev and A. Blok in the works of G. Ivanov «Chinese Shadows» and «Petersburg Winters». The purpose of this study is to determine, based on a comparative analysis of the literary portraits of N. Gumilev and A. Blok, which are created using the contrast technique, the specifics of the myth about the Russian Poet in the memoir prose of G. Ivanov. The two poets are contrasted on the basis of a number of criteria: appearance, character, attitude to creativity, their political position, etc. In conclusion, the article concludes that N. Gumilev and A. Blok, acting as antipodes in the eyes of contemporaries, nevertheless, have similar qualities inherent in the Russian poet: love for the Motherland, dreaminess, nobility, chivalry, romantic nature, inner dualism, hatred of falsehood, lies and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of creativity. G. Ivanov, creating a literary portrait of poets, combines real features in their images with an artistic perception of their personality, thereby making their biography part of the myth of the Russian poet – prophet, for whom life, Russia and creativity are one.