Vissarion Belinsky

From Freepedia

Vissarion Grigorievich Belinskii (Виссарио́н Григо́рьевич Бели́нский) (1811 - 1848) was Russian literary critic of Westernizing tendency. Belinskii believed that the only realm of freedom in the repressive reign of Nicholas I was through the written word. When the Westernizers' ideal Gogol commenced to move towards devout Slavophilism, Belinsky wrote the confrontational letter, "Letter to Gogol," in response to Gogol's conservatism.

He poured all of his heart and soul into his work. His last great effort was his Literary Review for the Year 1847. He died of consumption on the eve of his arrest by the police on account of his radical views. In 1910, Russia celebrated the centenary of his birth with enthusiasm and appreciation.

His surname has also been spelled Byelinski by some people. His works, in 12 volumes, were first published in 1859-62. Following the expiration of the copyright in 1898, several new editions appeared. The best of these is by S. Vengerov; it is supplied with profuse notes.