Natasha's Dance (143 page)
an independent Czechoslovakia that year, the government in Prague gave grants to Russi
an independent Czechoslovakia that year, the government in Prague gave grants to Russi
In 1925, Tsvetaeva and Efron moved on to Paris. If Berlin was the cultural centre of Russi
In 1925, Tsvetaeva and Efron moved on to Paris. If Berlin was the cultural centre of Russi
In 1925, Tsvetaeva and Efron moved on to Paris. If Berlin was the cultural centre of Russi
And someone, falling on the map, Does not sleep in his dreams. There came a Bonaparte In
And someone, falling on the map, Does not sleep in his dreams. There came a Bonaparte In
And someone, falling on the map, Does not sleep in his dreams. There came a Bonaparte In
9
By the end of the 1920s Paris had become the undisputed centre of the Russian emigration
By the end of the 1920s Paris had become the undisputed centre of the Russian emigration
By the end of the 1920s Paris had become the undisputed centre of the Russian emigration
(continued) they soon became bogged down in petty fighting with the local Soviets, who trie
(continued) they soon became bogged down in petty fighting with the local Soviets, who trie
(continued) they soon became bogged down in petty fighting with the local Soviets, who trie
of the depression, as Russians fled to the French capital from Hitler’s Germany. The lite
of the depression, as Russians fled to the French capital from Hitler’s Germany. The lite
of the depression, as Russians fled to the French capital from Hitler’s Germany. The lite
arrondissement,
As most of the exiles saw it, Russia had ceased to exist in October 1917. ‘Sovdepia’, as they
As most of the exiles saw it, Russia had ceased to exist in October 1917. ‘Sovdepia’, as they
As most of the exiles saw it, Russia had ceased to exist in October 1917. ‘Sovdepia’, as they
‘Sovdepia’,
10
With a lantern search through The whole world under the moon. That country exists not On the
With a lantern search through The whole world under the moon. That country exists not On the
With a lantern search through The whole world under the moon. That country exists not On the
Drunk up as though from the Saucer: the bottom of it shines! Can one return to a House which h
Drunk up as though from the Saucer: the bottom of it shines! Can one return to a House which h
Drunk up as though from the Saucer: the bottom of it shines! Can one return to a House which h
11
The idea of Russia as an optical illusion, as something that had vanished like a childho
The idea of Russia as an optical illusion, as something that had vanished like a childho
The idea of Russia as an optical illusion, as something that had vanished like a childho
Russia is happiness, Russia is all light.
Russia is happiness, Russia is all light.
Russia is happiness, Russia is all light.
Or perhaps Russia disappeared into the night.
Or perhaps Russia disappeared into the night.
Or perhaps Russia disappeared into the night.
And on the Neva the sun does not go down, And Pushkin never died in our European town,
And on the Neva the sun does not go down, And Pushkin never died in our European town,
And on the Neva the sun does not go down, And Pushkin never died in our European town,
And there is no Petersburg, no Kremlin in Moscow -Only fields and fields, snow and yet more
And there is no Petersburg, no Kremlin in Moscow -Only fields and fields, snow and yet more
And there is no Petersburg, no Kremlin in Moscow -Only fields and fields, snow and yet more
2
For Tsvetaeva the mirage of Russia was the fading memory of her dismantled house at Three
For Tsvetaeva the mirage of Russia was the fading memory of her dismantled house at Three
For Tsvetaeva the mirage of Russia was the fading memory of her dismantled house at Three
13
Speak, Memory
Tsvetaeva was the daughter of Ivan Tsvetaev, Professor of Art History at Moscow University
Tsvetaeva was the daughter of Ivan Tsvetaev, Professor of Art History at Moscow University
Tsvetaeva was the daughter of Ivan Tsvetaev, Professor of Art History at Moscow University
Eugene Onegin,
14
‘amities litteraires’
The Camp of Swans
White guards: Gordian knot
White guards: Gordian knot
White guards: Gordian knot
Of Russian valour.
Of Russian valour.
Of Russian valour.
White Guards: white mushrooms
White Guards: white mushrooms
White Guards: white mushrooms
Ot the Russian folksong.
Ot the Russian folksong.
Ot the Russian folksong.
31. Sergei Efron and Marina Tsvetaeva, 1911
31. Sergei Efron and Marina Tsvetaeva, 1911
31. Sergei Efron and Marina Tsvetaeva, 1911
Sergei Efron and Marina Tsvetaeva, 1911
White Guards: white stars, Not to be crossed from the sky. White Guards: black nails In the ri
White Guards: white stars, Not to be crossed from the sky. White Guards: black nails In the ri
White Guards: white stars, Not to be crossed from the sky. White Guards: black nails In the ri
15
For the next five years, from 1918 to 1922, the young couple lived apart. Tsvetaeva pledged
For the next five years, from 1918 to 1922, the young couple lived apart. Tsvetaeva pledged
For the next five years, from 1918 to 1922, the young couple lived apart. Tsvetaeva pledged
16
that the common people had lost all sense of human decency and tenderness. Despite her lo
that the common people had lost all sense of human decency and tenderness. Despite her lo
that the common people had lost all sense of human decency and tenderness. Despite her lo
17
Tsvetaeva describes leaving Russia as a kind of death, a parting of the body from the soul, a
Tsvetaeva describes leaving Russia as a kind of death, a parting of the body from the soul, a
Tsvetaeva describes leaving Russia as a kind of death, a parting of the body from the soul, a
8
The loss of Russia strengthened Tsvetaeva’s concern with national themes. During the 1920s
The loss of Russia strengthened Tsvetaeva’s concern with national themes. During the 1920s
The loss of Russia strengthened Tsvetaeva’s concern with national themes. During the 1920s
After Russia
My greetings to the Russian rye,
My greetings to the Russian rye,
My greetings to the Russian rye,
To fields of corn higher than a woman.19
To fields of corn higher than a woman.19
To fields of corn higher than a woman.19
19
Increasingly she also turned to prose (‘emigration makes of me a prose writer’20) in a ser
Increasingly she also turned to prose (‘emigration makes of me a prose writer’20) in a ser
Increasingly she also turned to prose (‘emigration makes of me a prose writer’20) in a ser
20
21
Stunned, like a log left
Stunned, like a log left
Stunned, like a log left
Behind from an avenue of trees.22
Behind from an avenue of trees.22
Behind from an avenue of trees.22
22
As an artist she felt she had been orphaned by her separation from the literary communit
As an artist she felt she had been orphaned by her separation from the literary communit
As an artist she felt she had been orphaned by her separation from the literary communit
Hence her intense, almost daughterly, attraction to Sergei Volkon-sky, the eurhythmic the
Hence her intense, almost daughterly, attraction to Sergei Volkon-sky, the eurhythmic the
Hence her intense, almost daughterly, attraction to Sergei Volkon-sky, the eurhythmic the
23
amities litteraires.
The Disciple
24
In the world which roars: ‘Glory to those who are to come!’ Something in me whispers: ‘Glory t
In the world which roars: ‘Glory to those who are to come!’ Something in me whispers: ‘Glory t
In the world which roars: ‘Glory to those who are to come!’ Something in me whispers: ‘Glory t
25
Volkonsky dedicated his own Memoirs (1923) to Tsvetaeva - recompense, perhaps, for the fa
Volkonsky dedicated his own Memoirs (1923) to Tsvetaeva - recompense, perhaps, for the fa
Volkonsky dedicated his own Memoirs (1923) to Tsvetaeva - recompense, perhaps, for the fa
Memoirs
To mark their publication she wrote an essay called ‘Cedar: An Apology’. The title had be
To mark their publication she wrote an essay called ‘Cedar: An Apology’. The title had be
To mark their publication she wrote an essay called ‘Cedar: An Apology’. The title had be
The cedar is the tallest of trees, the straightest too, and it comes from the North (the Sibe
The cedar is the tallest of trees, the straightest too, and it comes from the North (the Sibe
The cedar is the tallest of trees, the straightest too, and it comes from the North (the Sibe
26
In the preface to his memoirs Volkonsky voiced the exile’s agony:
In the preface to his memoirs Volkonsky voiced the exile’s agony:
In the preface to his memoirs Volkonsky voiced the exile’s agony:
Motherland! What a complex idea, and how difficult to catch. We love our motherland - who doe
Motherland! What a complex idea, and how difficult to catch. We love our motherland - who doe
Motherland! What a complex idea, and how difficult to catch. We love our motherland - who doe
27
2
2
2
2
2
Russian emigre communities were compact colonies held together by their cultural her
Russian emigre communities were compact colonies held together by their cultural her
Russian emigre communities were compact colonies held together by their cultural her
institutions when they returned home. They saw themselves as the guardians of the true Russ
institutions when they returned home. They saw themselves as the guardians of the true Russ
institutions when they returned home. They saw themselves as the guardians of the true Russ
In the ‘Little Russias’ of Berlin, Paris and New York the emigres created their own mythic v
In the ‘Little Russias’ of Berlin, Paris and New York the emigres created their own mythic v
In the ‘Little Russias’ of Berlin, Paris and New York the emigres created their own mythic v
28
29
Russian Dictionary
This accentuation of their Russianness was reinforced by a mutual animosity between
This accentuation of their Russianness was reinforced by a mutual animosity between
This accentuation of their Russianness was reinforced by a mutual animosity between
Speak, Memory
attitudes Nabokov claims that the only German in Berlin he ever got to know was a university
attitudes Nabokov claims that the only German in Berlin he ever got to know was a university
attitudes Nabokov claims that the only German in Berlin he ever got to know was a university
well-bred, quiet, bespectacled, whose hobby was capital punishment… Although I have los
well-bred, quiet, bespectacled, whose hobby was capital punishment… Although I have los
well-bred, quiet, bespectacled, whose hobby was capital punishment… Although I have los
wunderbar
30
The sheer volume of artistic talent in the emigre communities was bound to divide them
The sheer volume of artistic talent in the emigre communities was bound to divide them
The sheer volume of artistic talent in the emigre communities was bound to divide them
31
Isolated in this way, the emigres united around the symbols of Russian culture as the focus
Isolated in this way, the emigres united around the symbols of Russian culture as the focus
Isolated in this way, the emigres united around the symbols of Russian culture as the focus
In these societies literature became the locus patriae, with the ‘thick’
In these societies literature became the locus patriae, with the ‘thick’
In these societies literature became the locus patriae, with the ‘thick’
locus patriae,
literary journal as its central institution. Combining literature with social commen
literary journal as its central institution. Combining literature with social commen
literary journal as its central institution. Combining literature with social commen
Sovremenny zapiski (Contemporary Annals),
Sovremennik (The Contemporary)
Otechestvennye zapiski (Annals of the Fatherland).
32
Pushkin became a sort of figurehead of Russia Abroad. His birthday was celebrated as a
Pushkin became a sort of figurehead of Russia Abroad. His birthday was celebrated as a
Pushkin became a sort of figurehead of Russia Abroad. His birthday was celebrated as a
Eugene Onegin
33
Among the Parisian emigres Bunin was revered as the heir to this literary heritage, a l
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