belles-lettres

The article examines the literary context of one of the most important poems of Bulat Okudzhava. Special emphasis is placed on the pattern of making a classic poet a myth in the belles-lettres of the Soviet era. The connections of the poem Meeting with Lermontov’s poetry are noted, the functions of reminiscences are examined. The place of Lermontov’s image in the ‘poetic mythology’ of Okudzhava’s poetry is defined.

The article studies the peculiarities of how the provincial problems were reflected in the Russian journalism and belles-lettres in the XIXth century; the main questions within the scope of the present issue are also considered.

The article gives a detailed review and classification of the possible variants of belles-lettres existence on the pages of the printed mass media; a historic correlation and modern collaboration of journalism and literature is traced.