Original scientific paper

Revolution - from utopia to dystopia

Rafaela Božić ; University of Zadar

Abstract

The theories of V. Shestakov and M. N. Epstein provide a backdrop for the discussion of the ideologeme of revolution in the novels Aelita by Aleksey Tolstoy, The Land of the Happy by Yan Larri (both utopias), and dystopias We by Yevgeny Zamyatin and Chevengur by Andrei Platonov. The analysis contends that, although all four writers use the given ideologeme presumably in a positive context, a closer reading demonstrates a more complex relationship of the writers with the ideologeme than what it seems at first glance. Aelita shows a failed socialist revolution on Mars, in Larri's novel social wellbeing was a result of the revolution, but the reason was an ecological catastrophe on Earth. Zamyatin, faithful to his minimalist poetics, uses the ideologeme of revolution only once in the whole novel by means of a strong political message that the ultimate revolution didn't occur, while Platonov uses the ideologeme and stylistic devices related to it more frequently which results in the philosophically most complex relationship with the ideologeme. Tolstoy's and Larri's novels testify to a critical relationship with the ideologeme of revolution which indicates the need to critically re-evaluate the concept of the Soviet utopia as a source of apologetic texts in the contemporary society.

Keywords

utopia; dystopia; revolution; Yevgeny Zamyatin; Andrei Platonov; Yan Larri; Aleksey Tolstoy

Hrčak ID:

190757

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/190757

Publication date:

15.12.2017.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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