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The Breaking Point: A New Translation
Mikhail Artsybashev’s The Breaking Point stands as a powerful testament to the turbulent intellectual and emotional landscapes of early 20th-century Russian literature. Known for his sharp psychological insight and unflinching exploration of human despair, Artsybashev occupies a unique position among his contemporaries. While writers like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky grappled with moral philosophy and faith, Artsybashev turned his focus inward, delving into the raw, unvarnished complexities of the human psyche.
Originally published in Russian during a period of great social and political upheaval, The Breaking Point encapsulates the existential crises of its time. Artsybashev captures the struggles of individuals grappling with alienation, disillusionment, and the weight of societal expectations—universal themes that resonate deeply across generations. His work sparked controversy upon release, branded by critics as both provocative and nihilistic. Yet, it was this very boldness that cemented his reputation as a voice for those daring to question the boundaries of conventional morality and human endurance.
This new translation seeks to honor Artsybashev’s intricate prose while ensuring accessibility for today’s readers. The Breaking Point challenges us to confront the fragility of the human spirit and the often precarious balance between resilience and surrender. Through vivid character studies and emotionally charged storytelling, Artsybashev invites readers to navigate the darkest corners of the soul.
As you embark on this literary journey, consider the context in which it was an era on the brink of revolution, where individuals found themselves caught between the fading ideals of the past and the uncertainty of a rapidly changing future. In many ways, The Breaking Point transcends its time, reminding us that the questions it raises about identity, purpose, and the boundaries of human experience are as relevant today as they were over a century ago.
This translation is a tribute to Artsybashev’s enduring legacy—a revival of a work that compels us to examine the limits of our own humanity. Whether you are encountering Artsybashev for the first time or revisiting his work, may this translation bring new depth to your understanding of this provocative and timeless novel.
Originally published in Russian during a period of great social and political upheaval, The Breaking Point encapsulates the existential crises of its time. Artsybashev captures the struggles of individuals grappling with alienation, disillusionment, and the weight of societal expectations—universal themes that resonate deeply across generations. His work sparked controversy upon release, branded by critics as both provocative and nihilistic. Yet, it was this very boldness that cemented his reputation as a voice for those daring to question the boundaries of conventional morality and human endurance.
This new translation seeks to honor Artsybashev’s intricate prose while ensuring accessibility for today’s readers. The Breaking Point challenges us to confront the fragility of the human spirit and the often precarious balance between resilience and surrender. Through vivid character studies and emotionally charged storytelling, Artsybashev invites readers to navigate the darkest corners of the soul.
As you embark on this literary journey, consider the context in which it was an era on the brink of revolution, where individuals found themselves caught between the fading ideals of the past and the uncertainty of a rapidly changing future. In many ways, The Breaking Point transcends its time, reminding us that the questions it raises about identity, purpose, and the boundaries of human experience are as relevant today as they were over a century ago.
This translation is a tribute to Artsybashev’s enduring legacy—a revival of a work that compels us to examine the limits of our own humanity. Whether you are encountering Artsybashev for the first time or revisiting his work, may this translation bring new depth to your understanding of this provocative and timeless novel.
272 pages, Paperback
Published January 26, 2025
About the author
Mikhail Artsybashev
126 books27 followersMikhail Petrovich Artsybashev (Russian: Михаил Петрович Арцыбашев) was a Russian writer and playwright, and a major proponent of the literary style known as naturalism. He was the great grandson of Tadeusz Kościuszko and the father of Boris Artzybasheff, who emigrated to the United States and became famous as an illustrator.
Artsybashev was born in Khutor Dubroslavovka, Akhtyrka Uezd, Kharkov Gubernia (currently Sumy Oblast, Ukraine). His father was a small landowner and a former officer. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was only 3 years old. He attended school in Okhtyrka until the age of 16. From 1895 to 1897 he was an office worker. He studied at the Kharkov School of Drawing and Art (1897–1898). During this time he lived in poverty, and was often unable to buy art supplies. In 1897 he attempted suicide. In 1898 he married Anna Vasilyevna Kobushko, with whom he had his son Boris. The couple separated in 1900.
In 1898 he relocated to Saint Petersburg, where he worked as a freelance journalist, and published humorous stories. In 1901 he was expelled from the city for taking part in a demonstration. He wrote his first important work of fiction, the story Pasha Tumanov in 1901, but was unable to publish it until 1905 due to its being banned by the censor.
He considered his novel The Death of Ivan Lande (1904) to be his best work, but his major success was the novel Sanin (1907), which scandalized his Russian readers and was prohibited in many countries. He wrote Sanin in 1903, but was unable to publish it until 1907, again due to censorship. The protagonist of the novel ignores all social conventions and specializes in seducing virgin country girls. In one notorious scene, a girl tries to wash embarrassing white stains off her dress after sexual intercourse with Sanin. The novel was written under the influence of the philosophy of Max Stirner, and was meant to expound the principles of Individualist anarchism.
He moved to Moscow in 1912. In 1917-18 he published his anti-Bolshevik work Notes of a Writer. In 1923 Artzybashev was granted Polish citizenship and emigrated to Poland, where he edited the newspaper For Liberty! (За свободу!). He was known as an irreconcilable enemy of the Bolshevik regime, and Soviet critics dubbed the novels of his followers saninstvo and artsybashevchina (both terms are considered derogatory). He died in Warsaw on March 3, 1927.
Artsybashev was born in Khutor Dubroslavovka, Akhtyrka Uezd, Kharkov Gubernia (currently Sumy Oblast, Ukraine). His father was a small landowner and a former officer. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was only 3 years old. He attended school in Okhtyrka until the age of 16. From 1895 to 1897 he was an office worker. He studied at the Kharkov School of Drawing and Art (1897–1898). During this time he lived in poverty, and was often unable to buy art supplies. In 1897 he attempted suicide. In 1898 he married Anna Vasilyevna Kobushko, with whom he had his son Boris. The couple separated in 1900.
In 1898 he relocated to Saint Petersburg, where he worked as a freelance journalist, and published humorous stories. In 1901 he was expelled from the city for taking part in a demonstration. He wrote his first important work of fiction, the story Pasha Tumanov in 1901, but was unable to publish it until 1905 due to its being banned by the censor.
He considered his novel The Death of Ivan Lande (1904) to be his best work, but his major success was the novel Sanin (1907), which scandalized his Russian readers and was prohibited in many countries. He wrote Sanin in 1903, but was unable to publish it until 1907, again due to censorship. The protagonist of the novel ignores all social conventions and specializes in seducing virgin country girls. In one notorious scene, a girl tries to wash embarrassing white stains off her dress after sexual intercourse with Sanin. The novel was written under the influence of the philosophy of Max Stirner, and was meant to expound the principles of Individualist anarchism.
He moved to Moscow in 1912. In 1917-18 he published his anti-Bolshevik work Notes of a Writer. In 1923 Artzybashev was granted Polish citizenship and emigrated to Poland, where he edited the newspaper For Liberty! (За свободу!). He was known as an irreconcilable enemy of the Bolshevik regime, and Soviet critics dubbed the novels of his followers saninstvo and artsybashevchina (both terms are considered derogatory). He died in Warsaw on March 3, 1927.
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