Аполлон Безобразов

by Boris Poplavsky

Проза Бориса Поплавского — явление оригинальное и значительное, современники считали, что в ней талант Поплавского "сказался даже едва ли не ярче, чем в стихах" (В.Вейдле). Глубоко лиричная, она в то же время насквозь философична и полна драматизма. Герои романов — русские эмигранты, пытающиеся осмыслить свою судьбу и найти свое место на этой земле.

Genres: Russia, Russian Literature

196 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Boris Poplavsky (1903–1935) was born in Moscow, but emigrated with his family to Paris, via Constantinople, after the October Revolution. He began publishing his work in emigré publications in 1928, and published the collection Flags in Paris in 1931—the only collection of his verse to be published during the poet's lifetime. Something of an eternal student who found it difficult to hold down a regular job, Poplavsky suffered from a neurotic condition and took drugs from an early age. He also lived in Berlin for two years, studying painting. After many years in penury, and after his fiancé Natalia Stolyarova returned to the USSR, he died of a heroin overdose in 1935, and is buried in Paris. His work was forgotten for several decades, but has in recent years begun to be reclaimed, starting with the publication of a new edition of Flags in Tomsk. Apart from poetry, Poplavsky wrote a number of essays and articles on religious, literary and philosophical affairs, as well art- and book-reviews. He has been claimed to be the only Russian surrealist, although it would seem more appropriate to classify him as a French surrealist who wrote in Russian, moving easily between the two cultures as he did.

Reviews

[Vit Babenco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apollon Bezobrazov can be roughly rendered into English as Apollo the Ugly.
First of all Boris Poplavsky was a poet and surrealist so his prose remained surreally poetic:
“Coarse beauty of the creation seemed to be dissolving in the rain like in time.”
“Huge cities continue to suck in and exhale human dust.”
And imagery is like stardust of words…

Dragging my feet, I left my kin; dragging my thoughts, I left God, dignity and freedom; dragging my days, I lived for twenty four years.

This is a frank self-portrait of the narrator and the protagonist is his only friend.

Apollon Bezobrazov was entirely in the present. The present was like a golden wheel, with neither top nor bottom, which the perfection of the world was spinning pointlessly, without plan and free of charge, on which someone invisible stood, ravished from the world by his horrifying happiness.
In his presence, everything turned to stone, as though he was Medusa.

And they were going through life as if they were blown by the wind of time… They were outcasts. They forgave and forgot.
“Blessed are those who have forgiven much: for their kingdom of heaven is on earth.”
Turn your living into poetry… Fritter your youth away… Squander your love… Burn your books… Burn your entire life.
“Tears are the only fluid of life.”
All is sadness. All is wistfulness. And all is nostalgia.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5.0 ♥
Alte Russen wissen ja ohnehin viel Begeisterung bei mir auszulösen, aber Boris Poplawski stach dieses Jahr sehr heraus. Freue mich schon darauf, dazu ein paar geordnete Gedanken in Videoform zu bringen.

[Mr. (Rami)Roshka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lyrisch stark, und düster

[Kathrin (la_chienne)]

Ein Schuss Künstlerarmut, etwas Bohèmeromantik, alles sehr symbolistisch und surrealistisch. Genauso wie ich es mag.
Es ist ein Roman ohne große Handlung, aber ein sprachlicher Genuss. So lässt man sich also gerne mittreiben...

Boris Poplawski starb 1935 mit gerade einmal 32 Jahren an einer Überdosis.
Von seinem stark autobiografisch geprägten Roman erschienen zu seinen Lebzeiten lediglich Auszüge.
2019 ist "Apoll Besobrasow" in der Übersetzung von Olga Radetzkaja im Guggolz Verlag erschienen.

[Amedeo Ceruti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Herr Poplawski kann schreiben - ein wenig zu surrealistisch für mein Geschmack aber lyrisch