Village Prose in the 1980s: Rewriting and Rereading Literary History.

Russian Village Prose began in the 1950s with articles critical of the way collective farms were being managed and developed into an insider's view of rural life and a celebration of the values and rituals of traditional rural Russia. It represented a new approach to rural themes and characters and a return to literature of high aesthetic quality after several decades of Socialist Realism. This paper examines why Village Prose had run its course by 1980 and discusses ways in which Village Prose and the Village Prose writers have taken part in the rewriting and rereading of literary history in the 1980s. Several authors are cited. It is noted that although the Village Prose period is over, not all the Village Prose written in past decades has yet been published. In any case, the past achievements have permanently enriched contemporary Russian literature. Contains 27 references. (LB)