| Abstract: | The article throws light upon the emergent situation in England near the close of the 19th century, when the necessity to “import” Russian literature, particularly of the prose of A. Chekhov was gradually becoming a prominent factor in the cultural development in the whole Europe. Figured in this process of the reception of Russian literature, intermediaries from both Russian and French literary circles become the objects of special attention. The Russians, such as L. Tolstoy and O. Novikova, are given as examples of those who played key roles in direct literature contacts between Russia and England, meanwhile, the French authors, like Maupassant and Zola, are considered as the front runners for the interaction of the two literatures. The typological parallels between Russian and English literature are explained through A. Veselovsky’s theory of the “meeting of opposing currents”. The concept of a double, complex reception of Chekhov in England will be developed. On the one hand, Chekhov’s reception will be linked with his evolving reputation in Russian criticism (first, “Russian” Dickens, later “Russian” Maupassant) and, on the other hand, associated with the multiple, potentially conflicting needs of the English literary community (including writers, critics, and readers). These responses can be identified in part by those English participants attending to contemporary French influence in the Russian “flood” and others approaching uniquely English problems by directly seeking out Russian literary authorities. |
