Classics and the Western Canon discussion

Our reading of Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol is set to begin on Wednesday, August 24.

Dead Souls consists of two volumes, but only the first was approved by Gogol for publication. Most editions contain both volumes, however. I was in a quandary whether we should read the second volume at all. Gogol intended Dead Souls to be a three-part work, but he only got as far as the second volume when his mental health began to deteriorate. He wrote the second part twice over the course of a decade and burned both editions. What remains of the second volume is an early draft manuscript, some of which we only have in fragments.

My quandary is this: Volume Two is not good, and it can be a letdown after the brilliance of the first volume. But in this group we always read works in their totality. So... there is a compromise in the schedule. The "official" discussion will end with the last chapter of Volume One, but there will be an additional thread open the following week for those who want to go on to Volume Two,

August 24 - Chapters 1-3
August 31 - Chapter 4-5
September 7 - Chapters 6-7
September 14 - Chapters 8-9
September 21 - Chapter 10-11 and discussion of Part One as a whole
September 28 - Addendum: Part Two

The only thing I know about translations of Gogol I learned from Nabokov, who is very particular and highly opinionated. He didn't really like any of them, and no doubt there are problems with all of them. I like Pevear and Volokhonsky for the most part, however. If you have a favorite, let us know! (Especially if you're a Russian reader, we would be most interested in your opinion.)

Thomas wrote: "..If you have a favorite, let us know! (Especially if you're a Russian reader, we would be most interested in your opinion.).."

There was a time when I didn't believe Gogol could be translatable at all. His language is probably hardest to translate among Russian classics. (The easiest would be Tolstoy's imho). And his language is more than half of the beauty of his prose -- again, imho ((same as off side position in soccer is half beauty of the game as opposed to the opinion of many from non-soccer nations)).

But one day I gave the Pevear version to my American friend/coworker. It was a blast for him. He would quote and laugh every time we would meet at the water cooler. He compared Gogol with Shakespeare ( he is a Shakespearian fan but I am not -- so I don't know). I've read some passages from the Pevear version and was impressed. But I haven't tried any other translation.

I've read Part I two or three times. Often just a chapter, out loud, to a friend, for laughs.
And I read Part II once, afterwards - feeling guilty. Like I betrayed Gogol. After all, he had done his best to impede me from reading it...

I am awfully busy these days, so I am not planning to reread the book, but I probably won't help from peeping into the discussion.
Hope you'll have fun folks.

Bigollo wrote: "Thomas wrote: "..If you have a favorite, let us know! (Especially if you're a Russian reader, we would be most interested in your opinion.).."

There was a time when I didn't believe Gogol could be..."

Please do join in! We will value your insights.

Roger wrote: "Bigollo wrote: "Thomas wrote: "..If you have a favorite, let us know! (Especially if you're a Russian reader, we would be most interested in your opinion.).."

There was a time when I didn't believ..."

I am sure it will be very tempting. :)

I haven't read Dead Souls yet, but I've read several other translations by Pevear/Volokhonsky and find them to be the best for the times.

I’ll be reading the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation in a copy I picked up a few years ago. For an audiobook accompaniment, I’ve got the Robert Maguire translation read by Allan Corduner.

Since my P&V copy is secondhand, I’ll get the benefit of the prior reader’s annotations. For example, on the cover page she wrote “why all these little obsessions” ;).

Bigollo wrote: "Thomas wrote: "..If you have a favorite, let us know! (Especially if you're a Russian reader, we would be most interested in your opinion.).."

There was a time when I didn't believe Gogol could be..."

Glad to see you here, Bigollo, and I hope you'll share your thoughts and expertise with us. By all accounts, Gogol's style is extremely difficult to convey in translation, so we appreciate all the insight we can get.

I was looking back at Nabokov's Nikolai Gogol and he does recommend one translation (as of 1959): B. G. Guerney's, which may be out of print now.

Susan wrote: "For example, on the cover page she wrote “why all these little obsessions” ;)."

That's not a bad question, actually. I'm not sure it can be answered, or that it should be answered, but a good question anyway. Maybe you got the teacher's edition. :)

Thomas wrote: "Susan wrote: "For example, on the cover page she wrote “why all these little obsessions” ;)."

That's not a bad question, actually. I'm not sure it can be answered, or that it should be answered, b..."

It sounds like a question a teacher would ask, rhetorically, and a student would write down.

Christopher wrote: "It sounds like a question a teacher would ask, rhetorically, and a student would write down..."

Yes, as I’ve started reading, I think many of the annotations are a student writing down what the teacher said — the comments just have that feeling.