«БОЛЕЗНЬ ИЛИ РЕКЛАМА?» (К ВОПРОСУ О СВОЕОБРАЗИИ ЭСТЕТИЧЕСКОЙ ПОЗИЦИИ Л.Я. ГУРЕВИЧ)

The article analyzes the originality of the aesthetic positions of L. Gurevich,
manifested in the evaluation of new trends in the literary process of the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is established that Soviet literary
criticism left out not only the role of the publisher in the evolution of the direction
of “Severny Vestnik”, but also her personal concept of the perception of new
literary phenomena.

As a result of the research, the author comes to the conclusion that the
attitude of L. Gurevich to all new phenomena in the contemporary literary
process was ambiguous and was determined by her late-ethnic positions. On
the one hand, as the editor of “Severny Vestnik”, she made a huge contribution
to the popularization of the works of young symbolists, believed that literature
could and should seek new means of expressiveness. But when analyzing the
works of young authors, realistic literature reflecting the typical phenomena of
reality, remained for her the yardstick of quality. Other aesthetics, unusual ways
of artistry, revealed by the critic in the works of young authors, did not find her
understanding and support.
The fallacy of L. Gurevich’s views was confirmed by the time. However, it
is obvious that she showed a deep understanding of the crisis phenomena, took
into account the contradictory nature of the socio-cultural situation in which they
had appeared.