Jacques Rivière's Essay "Russia" as a Psychological Portrait of the Russians
The article covers the problem of the reception of Russia and the Russians as reflected in the works of French writer, Jacques Rivière (1886-1925). The author considers this issue in the context of the interest in Russia that was increasing in France at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. The research shows the evolution and transformations of some themes and characteristics related to Russia and the Russian people. The writer indicated them in his “Notebooks” (“Carnets”) and developed in his essay “Russia” (“Russie”). It is stated that the latter essay has some general and philosophical features. It is a synthesis of Rivière's personal observations about the Russians in a prisoner of war camp and his notions of Russia, which were developing under the influence of Russian literature. The author highlights that the most important component of the Russian character for the French writer was l'infinité (“immensity”, “infinity”, “breadth”, “shapelessness”). Such a view on the Russians was largely taking shape under the influence of Fyodor M. Dostoevsky and his idea of “all-world-ness” (vsemirnost') as a hallmark of the Russian national character. Moreover, the article points out that in Rivière's interpretation l'infinité is a characteristic of the Russian people that causes not only their doubtless merits but their imperfections as well. Rivière did not aspire to the simplification creating the image of the Russians and Russia. On the contrary, he wanted to create a complicated, inconsistent, and solid image following the tradition of Fyodor M. Dostoevsky. The Russians, in their internal struggle between the Western individualism and Christian humility reflected in Rivière's “Carnets”, with their collectivism, unwillingness to intrude themselves upon the Other, a certain self-containment that disregards arrogance and contempt for the Other, and their humbleness, become a particular example. In many respects, this explains Rivière's interest and sympathy to them. The article traces the changes in the writer's strategy in his essay “Russie” in comparison with his “Carnets” and reveals some techniques for the creation of the psychological portrait of the Russians.