Athanasius Fet and Nikolai Fedorov. Article One: Crossroads of Destinies
The article examines the milestones of communication and the spiritual and creative dialogue between two contemporaries, A.A. Fet and N.F. Fedorov. Fet's poetry had a profound impact on the Russian Silver Age, while Fedorov's ideas, creatively synthesized with those of V.S. Solovyov, became one of the sources of the Russian religious and philosophical Renaissance in the first third of the 20th century. The article restores the story of A.A. Fet and N.F. Fedorov's acquaintance, which took place through L.N. Tolstoy's mediation and outlines the dynamics of their personal contacts, first at L.N. Tolstoy's home and then at the Rumyantsev Museum Library. The article emphasizes the role of Fet's interlocutors, I.M. Ivakin and V.S. Solovyov, as intermediaries between the philosopher and the poet. The article also explores the similarities in the biographies of the two contemporaries regarding their origins. It compares Fet's efforts to restore the family name “Shenshen” and Fedorov's philosophical efforts to develop the doctrine of the resurrection of fathers by their sons. The article also draws parallels between the motif of resurrecting memory in Fet's later works and Fedorov's idea of the resurrectional essence of art.
(Sources)
Collected Works
1. Bulgakov, S.N. Ivan Karamazov (v romane Dostoevskogo «Brat'ya Karamazovy») kak filosofskiy tip [Ivan Karamazov (in Dostoevsky's novel “The Brothers Karamazov”) as a philosophical type], in Bulgakov, S.N. Sochineniya v 2 t., t. 2: Izbrannye stat'i [Works in 2 vols., vol. 2: Selected articles]. Moscow: Nauka, 1993, pp. 15–45.
2. Dostoevskiy, F.M. Brat'ya Karamazovy [The Brothers Karamazov], in Dostoevskiy, F.M. Polnoe sobranie sochineniy v 30 t., t. 15 [Complete Works in 30 vols., vol. 15]. Leningrad: Nauka, 1976, pp. 3–197.
3. Fedorov, N.F. Beschislennye nevol'nye vozvraty ili edinyy, soznatel'nyy i dobrovol'nyy vozvrat? [Countless involuntary returns or a single, conscious and voluntary return?], in Fedorov, N.F. Sochineniya v 4 t., t. 2 [Works in 4 vols., vol. 2]. Moscow: Izdatel'skaya gruppa «Progress», 1995, pp. 129–131.
4. Fedorov, N.F. Neobkhodimoe dopolnenie [Necessary addition], in Fedorov, N.F. Sochineniya v 4 t., t. 4 [Works in 4 vols., vol. 4]. Moscow: Traditsiya, 1999, p. 161.
5. Fedorov, N.F. Stat'i filosofskogo soderzhaniya iz III toma «Filosofii obshchego dela» [Philosophical articles from volume III of The Philosophy of Common Cause], in Fedorov, N.F. Sochineniya v 4 t., t. 3 [Works in 4 vols., vol. 3]. Moscow: Traditsiya, 1997, pp. 251–390.
6. Fedorov, N.F. Stat'i i zametki o F.M. Dostoevskom, L.N. Tolstom, V.S. Solov'eve [Articles and notes about F.M. Dostoevsky, L.N. Tolstoy, V.S. Solovyov], in Fedorov, N.F. Sochineniya v 4 t., t. 4 [Works in 4 vols., vol. 4]. Moscow: Traditsiya, 1999, pp. 3–100.
7. Fedorov, N.F. Tragicheskoe i vakkhicheskoe u Shopengauera i Nitsshe [Tragic and Bacchanalian in Schopenhauer and Nietzsche], in Fedorov, N.F. Sochineniya v 4 t., t. 2 [Works in 4 vols., vol. 2]. Moscow: Izdatel'skaya gruppa «Progress», 1995, pp. 159–160.
8. Fedorov, N.F. Vopros o bratstve, ili rodstve… [The question of brotherhood, or kinship…], in Fedorov, N.F. Sochineniya v 4 t., t. 1 [Collected Works in 4 vols., vol. 1]. Moscow: Izdatel'skaya gruppa «Progress», 1995, pp. 35–308.
9. A.A. Fet – N.F. Fedorovu [A.A. Fet. Letter to N.F. Fedorov], in Fedorov, N.F. Sochineniya v 4 t., t. 4 [Works in 4 vols., vol. 4]. Moscow: Traditsiya, 1999, p. 633.
10. Fet, A.A. «Okna v reshetkakh i sumrachny litsa…» [“The windows are barred and the faces are gloomy...”], in Fet, A.A. Sochineniya i pis'ma v 20 t., t. 5, kn. 1 [Works and Letters in 20 vols., vol. 5, book 1]. Moscow; Saint-Petersburg: Al'yans-Arkheo, 2014, p. 7.
11. Fet, A.A. Kak nezhish' ty, serebryanaya noch'… [How you caress me, silver night...], in Fet, A.A. Sochineniya i pis'ma v 20 t., t. 5, kn. 1 [Works and Letters in 20 vols., vol. 5, book 1]. Moscow; Saint-Petersburg: Al'yans-Arkheo, 2014, p. 56.
12. Solov'ev, V.S. Filosofskie nachala tsel'nogo znaniya [Philosophical principles of integral knowledge], in Solov'ev, V.S. Sochineniya v 2 t., t. 2 [Works in 2 vols., vol. 2]. Moscow: Mysl', 1988, pp. 139–288.
13. Tolstoy, L.N. Ispoved' [The Confession], in Tolstoy, L.N. Polnoe sobranie sochineniy v 90 t., t. 23 [Complete Works in 90 vols., vol. 23]. Moscow: GIKhL, 1957, pp. 30–62.
14. Tolstoy, L.N. Dnevnik 1881 g. [The diaries of 1881], in Tolstoy, L.N. Polnoe sobranie sochineniy v 90 t., t. 49 [Complete Works in 90 vols., vol. 49]. Moscow: GIKhL, 1952, pp. 25–58.
15. Turgenev, I.S. Pis'mo P.V. Annenkovu. 7(19) iyunya 1861 [Letter to P.V. Annenkov], in Turgenev, I.S. Polnoe sobranie sochineniy i pisem v 30 t. Pis'ma: v 18 t., t. 4 [Complete Works in 30 vols. Letters in 18 vols., vol. 4]. Moscow: Nauka, 1987, pp. 339–340.
Individual Works
16. Bryusov, V.Ya. Iz dnevnika [From the diary], in N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: v 2 kn., kn. 1 [N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: in 2 books, book 1]. Saint-Petersburg: RKhGI, 2004, p. 112.
17. Fet, A.A. Nashi korni. Publitsistika [Our roots. Journalism]. Saint-Petersburg: Moscow: Rostok, Posev, 2013. 478 p.
18. Fet, A.A. Rannie gody moey zhizni [The early years of my life]. Moscow: Tovarishchestvo tip. A.I. Mamontova, 1893. 548 p.
19. Fet, A.A. Pis'mo N.F. Fedorovu [Letter to N.F. Fedorov], in N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: v 2 kn., kn. 1 [N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: in 2 books, book 1]. Saint-Petersburg: RKhGI, 2004, p. 103.
20. Iz «Zapisok» I.M. Ivakina [From the “Notes” of I.M. Ivakin], in Oktyabr', 1996, no. 9, pp. 148–157.
21. Ivakin, I.M. Vospominaniya (fragmenty) [Memories (fragments)], in N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: v 2 kn., kn. 1 [N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: in 2 books, book 1]. Saint-Petersburg: RKhGI, 2004, pp. 182–218.
22. Nikol'skiy, B. A.A. Fet [Athanasius Fet], in Filosofskie techeniya russkoy poezii [Philosophical trends of Russian poetry]. Saint-Petersburg: Tipografiya M. Merkusheva, 1896, pp. 239–267.
23. Pankratov, A.S. Filosof-pravednik [The Righteous Philosopher], in N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: v 2 kn., kn. 1 [N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: in 2 books, book 1]. Saint-Petersburg: RKhGI, 2004, pp. 352–362.
24. Perepiska Feta s Vl. Solov'evym (1881–1892) [Fet's correspondence with Vladimir Solovyov (1881–1892)], in Fet A.A. Materialy i issledovaniya. II [Materials and research. Vol. 2]. Saint-Petersburg: Kontrast, 2013, pp. 359–427.
25. Perepiska A.A. Feta s N.N. Strakhovym. 1877–1892 [Correspondence of A.A. Fet with N.N. Strakhov. 1877–1892], in Literaturnoe nasledstvo. T. 103, kn. 2 [Literary heritage. Vol. 103, book 2]. Moscow: IMLI RAN, 2011, pp. 233–550.
26. Peterson, N.P. Pis'mo k izdatelyu «Russkogo Arkhiva». Po povodu otzyva F.M. Dostoevskogo o N.F. Fedorove [A letter to the publisher of the Russian Archive. Regarding F.M. Dostoevsky's review of N.F. Fedorov], in Russkiy arkhiv, 1904, no. 6, pp. 300–301.
27. Pis'ma Aleksandra Pavlovicha Fedorova k sestre Yulii [Alexander Pavlovich Fedorov’s letters to his sister Julia], in «Filosofiya obshchego dela» N.F. Fedorova i Fedoroviana XX–XXI vv. [“Philosophy of a common cause” by N.F. Fedorov and Fedorovian of the XX–XXI centuries]. Moscow: OKTs YuZAO, 2025, pp. 16–46.
28. Pis'ma Elizavety Pavlovny Poltavtsevoy k sestre Yulii [Elizaveta Pavlovna Poltavtseva’s letters to his sister Julia], in «Filosofiya obshchego dela» N.F. Fedorova i Fedoroviana XX–XXI vv. [“Philosophy of a common cause” by N.F. Fedorov and Fedorovian of the XX–XXI centuries]. Moscow: OKTs YuZAO, 2025, pp. 47–69.
29. Pis'mo N.I. Dorofeevoy I.P. Brikhnichevu [Letter from N.I. Dorofeeva to I.P. Brikhnichev], in N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: v 2 kn., kn. 2 [N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: in 2 books, book 1]. Saint-Petersburg: RKhGA, 2008, pp. 190–193.
30. Sabaneev, L.L. Moi vstrechi s Nik. Fed. Fedorovym [My meetings with Nick. Fed. Fedorov], in N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: v 2 kn., kn. 1 [N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: in 2 books, book 1]. Saint-Petersburg: RKhGI, 2004, pp. 222–226.
31. Solov'ev, V.S. Dva pis'ma N.F. Fedorovu [Two letters to N.F. Fedorov], in N.F. Fedorov: pro et сontra: v 2 kn., kn. 1 [N.F. Fedorov: pro et contra: in 2 books, book 1]. Saint-Petersburg: RKhGI, 2004, pp. 100–102.
32. Solov'ev, V.S. Zhiznennyy smysl khristianstva (Filosofskiy kommentariy na uchenie o logose ap. Ioanna Bogoslova) [The Vital Meaning of Christianity (Philosophical Commentary on the teaching of the Logos of the Apostle John the Theologian)]. Moscow: Universitetskaya tipografiya, 1883. 16 p.
(Articles from Scientific Journals)
33. Gacheva, A.G. «Vosstanovlenie rodstva»: roman «Podrostok» kak prolog k dialogu N.F. Fedorova i F.M. Dostoevskogo [“Restoring the Kinship”: the Novel The Adolescent as a Prologue to the Dialogue Between Nikolay Fedorov and Fyodor Dostoevsky], in Dostoevskiy i mirovaya kul'tura: Filologicheskiy zhurnal [Dostoevsky and World Culture. Philological journal], 2021, no. 4(16), pp. 58–87. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2021-4-58-87
34. Takho-Godi, E.A. Russkaya literatura i filosofiya: problemy izucheniya i predvaritel'nye itogi [Russian Literature and Philosophy: Problems of Study and Preliminary Results], in Studia Litterarum, 2021, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 10–41. https://doi.org/10.22455/2500-4247-2021-6-4-10-41
(Articles from Proceedings and Collections of Research Papers)
35. Akin'shin, A.N. Rodstvennoe okruzhenie N.F. Fedorova [Related environment of N.F. Fedorov], in Materialy mezhdunarodnykh nauchnykh chteniy pamyati N.F. Fedorova «Filosof obshchego dela» [Materials of the international scientific readings in memory of N.F. Fedorov “The Philosopher of Common Cause”]. Moscow: TsBS YuZAO, 2022, pp. 8–29.
36. Bogdanov, V.V. Sledstvennoe delo uchitelya Bogoroditskogo uezdnogo uchilishcha Nikolaya Fedorova [The investigative case of Nikolai Fedorov, a teacher at the Bogoroditsky District School], in Sbornik nauchnykh statey «Sluzhitel' dukha vechnoy pamyati». Nikolay Fedorovich Fedorov: v 2 ch., ch. 2 [Collection of scientific articles «Servant of the Spirit of Eternal Memory». Nikolai Fyodorovich Fyodorov: in 2 parts, part 2]. Moscow: Pashkov dom, 2010, pp. 403–431.
37. Koshelev, V.A., Petrova, G.V. O poeticheskikh sbornikakh Feta «Vechernie ogni» [About Fet's poetry collections “Evening Lights”], in Fet, A.A. Sochineniya i pis'ma v 20 t., t. 5, kn. 1 [Works and Letters in 20 vols., vol. 5, book 1]. Moscow; Saint-Petersburg: Al'yans-Arkheo, 2014, pp. 264–286.
(Monographs)
38. Gacheva, A.G. F.M. Dostoevskiy i N.F. Fedorov: Vstrechi v russkot kul'ture [F.M. Dostoevsky and N.F. Fedorov: Meetings in Russian culture]. Moscow: IMLI RAS, 2008. 576 p.
39. Il'in, V.N. Arfa Davida: Religioznye motivy russkoy literatury [David's Harp: Religious Motifs in Russian Literature]. Saint-Petersburg: Russkiy Mir, 2009. 550 p.
40. Maymin, E.A. Afanasiy Afanas'evich Fet [Afanasy Afanasievich Fet]. Moscow: Prosveshchenie, 1989. 159 p.
41. Semenova, S.G. Filosof budushchego veka: Nikolay Fedorov [The philosopher of the next century: Nikolai Fedorov]. Moscow: Pashkov dom, 2004. 584 p.
42. Veselovskiy, A.N. V.A. Zhukovskiy. Poeziya chuvstva i «serdechnogo voobrazheniya» [V.A. Zhukovsky. Poetry of Feeling and “Heart Imagination”]. Moscow; Saint-Petersburg: Tsentr gumanitarnykh initsiativ, 2016. 512 p.
