«Литература в кавычках». Наследие Козьмы Пруткова и акционизм XX века

Slavic Literatures (ранее - Russian Literature). 2024. Т. 149. С. 117–151.

Penskaja E.

Kozma Prutkov is a collective pseudonym used by four writers: Alexey, Alexander, and Vladimir Zhemchuzhnikov, along with their cousin Alexei Tolstoy. In the 1850s and 1860s, they published humorous works under this name, creating a versatile character who parodied an official writer through fables, poems, plays, and aphorisms. Prutkov’s works first appeared in 1854 in the magazine Sovremennik, and later in Razvlechenije, Iskra, and Svistok. His fictional biography, elaborated in the book Biographical Information about Kozma Prutkov, included relatives and a position at the Ministry of Finance. After A.K. Tolstoy’s death, The Complete Works of Kozma Prutkov with a Portrait, Facsimile, and Biographical Information was published in 1884, quickly selling out and necessitating a second edition in 1885. The collection has been reprinted multiple times, with the 12th edition appearing in 1916. Prutkov’s persona created a broad literary universe, influencing a wide range of followers and imitators. This began with the satire of the 1860s, influencing figures like Shchedrin, Dostoevsky, and Vladimir Solovyov. Prutkov’s impact persisted through the Silver Age, the Oberiutes, and even into the cultural thaw and conceptualist movements of the 1980s-2000s, though these later periods are less documented. Prutkov's lasting presence in Russian culture is anchored by his body of work and the surrounding interpretations and commentary. His canonical texts are complemented by performative practices involving writers and academics, solidifying Prutkov’s satirical legacy.

Keywords: performance, маска, перформанс, Ritual narratives, literary hoaxes, нарративная традиция, happening, хэппенинг, Literary masks