Russian translation of Marx’s Capital published.
DATE
AUTHOR’S LIFE
LITERARY CONTEXT
1873
Begins writing
Anna Karenina
.
Leskov:
The Enchanted Wanderer
.
1875
Publishes
New Primer, Russian Reader
. Increasingly preoccupied with religious problems, troubled by war with Turkey.
Saltykov-Shchedrin:
The Golovlyovs
(to 1880).
1875–7
Anna Karenina
appears in instalments.
1876
Begins to practise Orthodoxy.
James:
Roderick Hudson
.
1877
Turgenev:
Virgin Soil
.
Garshin:
Four Days
.
1878
Anna Karenina
published in book form. Reconciliation with Turgenev. Moral crisis leads him into theological studies. Abandons practice of Orthodoxy.
Hardy:
The Return of the Native
.
1879
Begins writing
A Confession
.
Dostoevsky:
The Brothers Karamazov
(to 1880).
1880
Begins
Critique of Dogmatic Theology, Translation and Harmony of the Gospels
. 4th edition of
Collected Works
appears (11 vols).
Death of Flaubert. Blok, Bely born.
1881
Writes to the Tsar asking for a pardon for the assassins of Alexander II. Visits monastery of Optina Pustyn.
Death of Dostoevsky.
James:
The Portrait of a Lady
.
1882
Finishes
A Confession
(banned in Russia). Studies Hebrew. Moves his family to Moscow.
1883
Writes
What I Believe
. Hands over control of property to his wife. Chertkov arrives as a visitor, stays as a disciple.
Death of Turgenev.
Korolenko:
Makar’s Dream
.
Garshin:
The Scarlet Flower
.
1884
What I Believe
banned. Publishes fragments from
The Decembrists
(unfinished novel). Writes
Memoirs of a Madman
.
Huysmans:
Against Nature
. Zamyatin born.
1885
Renounces hunting, meat, tobacco and alcohol. Publishes ‘popular’ tales including
What Men Live By, Where Love is, God is, Ivan the Fool, Two Old Men
.
Zola:
Germinal
.
HISTORICAL EVENTS
Russian Populist movement begins.
Russia invades Chinese Turkestan.
Universal Exhibition in Vienna.
Land and Liberty movement formed in Russia.
Russia declares war on Turkey.
Russo-Turkish War ends. Congress of Berlin.
Afghan War.
Trial of Vera Zasulich.
People’s Will party formed in Russia.
Governor of Kharkov assassinated.
Osip Vissarionovich Djugashvili (Stalin) born.
Alexander II assassinated. Accession of Alexander III.
Jewish residence in Russia severely restricted.
Great Britain: Married Women’s Property Act.
University riots. Censorship laws strengthened.
Plekhanov and others form Marxist study groups.
DATE
AUTHOR’S LIFE
LITERARY CONTEXT
1886
The Death of Ivan Ilych, How Much Land Does a Man Need?, The Godson
published. Tolstoy’s play
The Power of Darkness
offends the Tsar and is forbidden. Finishes
What Then Must We Do?
Denounced as heretic by Archbishop of Kherson.
Chekhov: first volume of stories.
James:
The Bostonians, The Princess Casamassima
.
1887
1888
Publishes
Strider
(written 1861).
The Power of Darkness
performed in Paris.
Chekhov:
The Steppe
. Death of Garshin.
1889
Begins writing
Resurrection
. Publication of
Collected Works
(12 vols). Unauthorized copies of
The Kreutzer Sonata
in circulation.
Akhmatova born.
1890
Tsar gives permission for publication of an edited version of
The Kreutzer Sonata
. Writes
The Devil
.
Pasternak born.
Wilde:
The Picture of Dorian Gray
.
1891
Renounces copyright on his works post-1881, divides property among family. Writes
Why do Men Stupefy Themselves?
Ehrenburg, Bulgakov born.
1891–2
Engaged in famine relief work.
1892
The Fruits of Enlightenment
produced in Moscow.
Chekhov:
Ward Mo. 6
.
Merezhkovsky:
Symbols
.
Gorky publishes his first story.
Mandelstam, Tsvetayeva born.
1893
Publishes
The Kingdom of God is within you
.
Death of Maupassant.
1894
Publishes
Christianity and Patriotism, Reason and Religion, Religion and Morality, How to Read the Gospels, Walk in the Light
.
Babel born.
1895
Publishes
Master and Man
. Intervenes to defend the Dukhobors against persecution.
1896
Chekhov:
The Seagull
. Merezhkovsky:
Christ and Anti-Christ
(to 1905).
1897
Chertkov arrested and exiled.
1898
Finishes
Father Sergius
. Publishes a censored version of
What is Art?
Zola:
J’Accuse
.
Blok:
Ante Lucem
(to 1900).
HISTORICAL EVENTS
Five students (including Lenin’s brother) hanged for an attempt on the Tsar’s life.
Second International founded.
Beginning of Trans-Siberian Railway construction.
Famine in southern Russia.
Witte becomes Finance Minister.
Famine in some Russian regions.
Massacres in Armenia.
Great Britain: Independent Labour Party founded.
Death of Tsar Alexander III. Accession of Tsar Nicholas II.
Great Britain: Greenwich bomb outrage.