In front of the mirror
Before the mirror (original title: Перед зеркалом) is a novel by Weniamin Kawerin . It first appeared in 1971.
content
In front of the mirror , in the form of a letter novel, describes the lovers Lisa and Kostja, who met each other during their school days. Lisa becomes a well-known painter and travels abroad, while Kostya lives in Perm and becomes a mathematician. The correspondence spanned a period from 1910 to 1932. This was the time of the October Revolution and the founding of the Soviet Union . Despite the temporal and spatial distance, the two manage to maintain their long-distance relationship. The narrative can also be considered an artist and development novel .
criticism
“The Russian intelligentsia lives in an ideal world, repeatedly forced into impotence. It is not surprising that art plays the main role in Lisa's life - she is an artist. However, their religious attitude towards art is striking. Here, art is not an instrument for dealing with society, but rather a constant confrontation with oneself. "
literature
Wenjamin Kawerin: In front of the mirror . Novel. Translated from the Russian by Gisela Drohla. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp 1998, ISBN 3-518-22298-8