Re-Reading Constantine Poustewesky’s Literary Works in the Light of Eco–Centric Literary Criticism

Abstract

Constantine Pousteweskey, the famous Soviet Russian writer, firmly believed that writing not only solely remains as an artistic aesthetic endeavour, but also a way on the part of the writer to realize the social commitment under the power of the literary creation that has a public impact. Constantine Poustewesky observed that Stalin ruled the contemporary U.S.S.R. with an iron hand. The hegemony of the Communist party exploited the Russian Countryside mercilessly to reach their goals of emerging as the world superpower. It is generally believed by literary critics that Poustoweskey was a poetic writer who labored to capture the beauty, eminence and sublimity of nature in a language that was vibrating with topological power. Hence the researcher argued that his prose works can be reread or rather de-coded by applying the critical theories put forward by the school of Eco-centric critics. Eco-centred literary criticism gives a prominent place to explore the relationship that exists between literature and nature. In this study, the researcher attempted to address major issues raised by eco-criticism, such as the following. In what ways nature represented in Pausteweskey’s creative literary works? Just as much as race, class, and gender have become important variables in literary study, should not the idea of place be accorded equal weight? Drawing on the research findings, the researcher arrived at the conclusion that the writer's unique perception of nature and its interaction with human beings was an artistic mode employed by him to oppose Stalin’s heartless exploitation of nature behind the mask of development.