Information about the author:
Elena D. Galtsova
Elena D. Galtsova, DSc in Philology, Leading Research Fellow, Head of Laboratory “Rossica”, A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Povarskaya 25 a, 121069 Moscow, Russia; Professor, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1/51, GSP-1, 119991 Moscow, Russia; Professor, Russian State University for the Humanities, Misskaja sq. 6, 125993 GSP-3, Moscow, Russia.
ORCID ID: https:////orcid.org/0000-0002-2292-287X
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Abstract:
The article is devoted to the comparative analysis of the works of Albert Camus of the 1940s–1950s and the legacy of Oscar Wilde. First of all, we are talking about comparing Wilde’s play “Vera; or, The Nihilists” and Camus’s play “The Just Assassins” from the point of view of typological similarities in the construction of a drama-tragedy about terrorists and from the point of view of reflections on the nature and expediency of rebellion, terror, murder and self-sacrifice in the context of socio-historical development of society. The hypothesis is expressed about the possibility of direct reception of the play “Vera; or, The Nihilists” against the background of the French writer’s interest in Wilde’s legacy, as well as his indirect perception through the prism of André Gide’s work. As one of the indirect confirmations, Camus’s drafts and diaries are given, which reflect the plans of his future works (never written) and contain references to Wilde. The identification of the multifaceted influence of the English writer (not so much as an aesthete, but as an author of works on socio-political topics) and references to his works written in prison (“De profundis” and “The Ballad of Reading Goal”) allows us to supplement scientific ideas about the sources and problems of Camus’ late work.