Pavel Ivanovich Mel'nikov
Pavel Ivanovich Mel'nikov, also known by his pseudonyms Andrei Pechersky and Melnikov-Pechersky, was a prominent Russian writer born in Nizhny Novgorod around 1818 or 1819. Coming from a small landholding family, he was raised in a community of Old Believers, a sect within the Russian Orthodox Church known for its strict adherence to traditional beliefs. Mel'nikov's literary career began after he worked as a teacher and civil servant, leading him to focus on the lives and culture of Russian peasants, particularly the Old Believers.
His writing is characterized by a deep exploration of the beliefs and traditions of this religious group, drawing inspiration from historical and ethnographic contexts. Among his notable works is the novel "V lesakh," celebrated as a significant example of the Russian ethnographic novel, which incorporates folklore and cultural elements from the regions along the Volga River and the Ural Mountains. He followed this with "Na gorakh," which delves into the asceticism and zeal of the Old Believers. Mel'nikov's contributions to literature and ethnography have earned him a respected place in Russian literary history, despite being less known in the West. He passed away in Nizhny Novgorod in 1883, leaving behind a legacy of cultural richness and historical insight.
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Pavel Ivanovich Mel'nikov
- Born: October 25, 1818 or 1819
- Birthplace: Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
- Died: February 1, 1883
- Place of death: Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
Biography
Pavel Ivanovich Mel’nikov, who wrote under the pseudonyms Andrei Pechersky and Melnikov-Pechersky, was born in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, in 1818 or 1819, the son of a small landholder who grew up in a community of Old Believers, strict adherents to the traditional Russian Orthodox faith. After graduating from the University of Kazan, he worked as a teacher in Parm and then as a civil servant.
He eventually turned to writing and began publishing historical and ethnographic articles that focused on Russian peasants, especially upon the lives of the Old Believers, otherwise known as raskol’niki or schiesmatics, a deeply religious sect. The sect dated back to the seventeenth century and was led by the charismatic Archpriest Avaakum, who was burned as a heretic in 1682 for refusing to adhere to the religious reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon in 1653.
All of Mel’nikov’s works tend to thematically consider the beliefs of the Old Believers, as do the works of the Russian writers N. S. Leskov and, occasionally, Maxim Gorky. Early in his career, Mel’nikov was considered part of the liberal trend of Russian literature, and this liberalism is featured in his short stories “Krasil’nikovy” (1852), “Staryyegody” (1852), and “Medvezhiy Ugol” (1857).
Melnikov is best remembered and most highly regarded for his novel V lesakh, which one important critic called the “the best example of the Russian ethnographic novel.” The book derived from one of his earlier stories about nineteenth century life along the Volga River and the Ural Mountains. In 1881, he published the sequel, Na gorakh, which dealt with the severely ascetic fanaticism and religious zeal of the Old Believers. These novels are full of proverbs, folklore, folk songs, and legends and constitute a true ethnographic account of the faith and belief of the communities so cherished by Mel’nikov. For example, V Iesakh features the legend of the Lost City of Kityezh.
Mel’nikov, who was considered to be an excellent archeologist, died in Nizhny Novgorod in 1883. Although he is not well known in the West, Mel’nikov remains highly regarded as an ethnographer and historiographer and as a talented writer of exceptional and extraordinary dignity in the Russian literary tradition.