Gandelsman, V. (2024). A star reigns over the sky. Selected essays. Moscow: Delalandiya. (In Russ.)

Abstract

The review examines V. Gandelsman’s approach to analyzing contemporary poetry. He proposes a method of finding unique qualities in the works of individual poets. In this sense, he is shown as an interpreter of their poems. A critic must point out the tradition, whereas an interpreter emphasizes the inimitability of each individual artistic world. Gandelsman’s method is principally aligned with A. Veselovsky’s theories, as well as with general systems theory and A. Katsenelinboigen’s predispositioning theory, in particular. Following Veselovsky’s suit, Gandelsman gives prominence to the internal nature of an image over the external aspects (such as artistic devices and the like). The process of analyzing as such is constructed on the basis of a subjective evaluation of an artistic system, which is also the foundation of predispositioning theory. Gandelsman develops his method independently from the aforementioned scholars, making his predecessors’ methods appear all the more vibrant and relevant.