The History of Literature Podcast

Episode 686: Russian Poetry After the Cold War (with Stephanie Sandler)
Host: Jack Wilson
Guest: Stephanie Sandler, Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Harvard University
Release Date: March 13, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 686 of "The History of Literature," host Jack Wilson engages in a profound conversation with Stephanie Sandler, a renowned scholar specializing in Russian poetry. The episode delves into the evolution of Russian poetry from the Cold War era through the transformative years following the fall of the Soviet Union, exploring themes of freedom, censorship, and artistic expression.

Historical Context: Russian Poetry During the Cold War (1946-1989)

Stephanie Sandler begins by painting a vivid picture of the tumultuous relationship between America and Russia during the Cold War. She reflects on the restrictive environment for literature in the Soviet Union, where "literature seemed on life support," and the CIA actively "smuggled literature into the country to crack things open" (00:09). Sandler highlights the clandestine circulation of Western literary works and dissident writings, emphasizing the role of books as "a reservoir of freedom, of independent thought" (03:00).

Key Points:

• State-Controlled Literature: Official publications were limited, with a stark contrast to the thriving underground (samizdat) literature.
• Influence of Exiled Poets: Figures like Joseph Brodsky played a crucial role in introducing Western poetic forms and ideas to Russian poets.
• Samizdat Poetry: Unofficial poetry circles, such as the Lianosova poets in Moscow and Leningrad, pushed the boundaries of thematic and formal expression despite governmental repression.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall and Its Impact (1989 Onwards)

The conversation transitions to the dramatic shifts that occurred with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Union. Sandler explains that "the collapse was a gradual process through the late 1980s," leading to increased publication opportunities for poets like Jelena Schwartz and Olga Sidakova (29:05). This period marked a significant expansion in the diversity and accessibility of Russian poetry.

Key Points:

• Increased Freedom of Expression: Poets gained unprecedented freedom to explore a wider range of themes and forms.
• Emergence of New Voices: The post-Soviet era saw the rise of poets who could openly express personal and political dissent.
• Continued Challenges: Despite newfound freedoms, some poets remained vulnerable, with others choosing exile to safely express their art.

Exploring Freedom in Russian Poetry

A central theme of the episode is the dual facets of freedom experienced by Russian poets: artistic freedom and freedom from state censorship. Sandler articulates that “the interaction between those two kinds of freedom” is pivotal in understanding contemporary Russian poetry (24:37).

Key Points:

• Artistic Freedom: Poets experiment with form and content, breaking away from traditional structures to reflect personal and societal changes.
• Freedom from Censorship: The relaxation of state control allowed for more overt political and social commentary within poetic works.
• Resilience and Resistance: Poetry became a medium for maintaining autonomy and resisting oppressive narratives, especially evident during and after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Notable Poets and Their Contributions

Stephanie Sandler highlights several influential poets who embody the transition and resilience of Russian literature:

• Joseph Brodsky: An exiled poet whose interactions with Western poets like Derek Walcott influenced his work, bridging Russian and English poetic traditions. Brodsky’s evolution illustrates the broader shifts in Russian poetry post-exile.

  “He changed because of being in a Western context, being in a more open context.” (18:00)

• Arkady Dragomoshenko: Representing a departure from traditional forms, Dragomoshenko engaged with experimental and language poetry, significantly impacting the next generation of Russian poets.

  “He sort of opened my eyes to that poetry that's not in Brodsky's canon.” (19:04)

• Galina Rimbu and Yelena Van Ileva: Contemporary poets navigating the complexities of living in conflict zones like Ukraine, using platforms like Facebook to perform and share their work in real-time as acts of resistance.

  “It's almost like you get the wind in the sails. So you see a greater sense of freedom and of expression.” (30:23)

The Modern Landscape: Russian Poetry Post-2022

The discussion shifts to the current state of Russian poetry amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Sandler emphasizes the heightened risks and the resilience of poets who continue to create and share their work despite severe censorship and personal danger.

Key Points:

• Clamping Down After 2022: The Russian government's intensified suppression of dissent has made it perilous for poets to publish anti-war and critical works.
• Diaspora and Digital Platforms: Many poets operate from abroad or utilize online platforms like ROAR (Resistance and Opposition Arts Review) to disseminate their work globally.
• Themes of Resistance: Contemporary poetry often directly or indirectly critiques the war, explores personal and collective trauma, and reaffirms a commitment to free expression.

Themes in Contemporary Russian Poetry

Sandler categorizes her book around several thematic pillars, including politics, performance, and history, to explore how poets navigate and reflect upon their realities.

• Politics: Poets use their work to address and resist governmental oppression, with feminism being a significant focus.

  “The very stance of feminist poets to speak out for the autonomy and the integrity of a woman's body... informs precisely the kind of poetry that I wanted to write about.” (37:21)

• Performance: The act of performing poetry extends beyond traditional readings to include digital interfaces and real-time responses to political events.

  “This is how a poet reacts in real time to a political catastrophe.” (41:48)

• History: Poets engage with historical narratives, challenging state-controlled versions of the past to assert their own perspectives and truths.

Resources and Further Exploration

Sandler points listeners toward valuable resources for engaging with contemporary Russian poetry:

• ROAR (Resistance and Opposition Arts Review): A platform that publishes a broad range of resistant and oppositional art, including poetry, accessible in multiple languages.

  “It's a wonderful resource for people who want to see a wide range of what this resistance looks like in real time.” (45:06)

• F Letter Anthology: Showcases significant women poets, reflecting the intertwining of feminist themes with broader political and social issues.

Concluding Thoughts

Jack Wilson and Stephanie Sandler conclude by underscoring the enduring power of poetry as a tool for personal and political agency. They advocate for poetry consumption as a meaningful form of resistance and personal enrichment, suggesting that “reading it can change us to start each day by taking five minutes for something... something that can be great.” (50:07)

Notable Quotes

• Stephanie Sandler (16:28):
  “We are very lucky. We live in a poetry boom. It's true in the United States and it's certainly true in Russia.”

• Stephanie Sandler (24:37):
  “How, for example, would a poet who advocated for a kind of personal and political freedom also explore freer forms of expression?”

• Stephanie Sandler (41:48):
  “She's somebody who's, as a Russian poet, a Russian language poet. She's experiencing the war that Russia is making on Ukraine.”

• Jack Wilson (48:14):
  “To experience the present in all of its fullness... is to be a free subject.”

About the Guest: Stephanie Sandler

Stephanie Sandler is a distinguished professor at Harvard University, specializing in Slavic languages and literatures. She is the author of "Commemorating Russia's Myth of a National Poet" and co-author of "A History of Russian Literature." Her latest work, "The Freest Speech in Poetry Unbound, 1989-2022," explores the vibrant and often perilous landscape of Russian poetry in the post-Cold War era.

For more insights into the history of literature and its evolving narratives, visit historyofliterature.com and follow on Facebook.