Isaiah Berlin's Research On The Collision Between Two Ideas Of Art In Russian Literature

This master thesis is for the purpose of discussing Isaiah Berlin's research on the collision between the idea of art for art's sake and the idea of art is socially responsible in Russian literature in 19th century. Discussing Isaiah Berlin's research on the collision through interpreting Berlin's writings about Russian literature is valuable for understanding both Russian literature and Berlin's idea.This thesis is comprised of three parts including introduction, principal part and conclusion, the principal part consists of three chapters.Chapter I Discussing Isaiah Berlin's discovery about the collision between the idea of art for art's sake and the idea of art is socially responsible in Russian literature, including the occurrence of the collision in Western countries and the particularity of the collision in Russia. Berlin considered that the collision was between their supporters of these two ideas of art in Western countries, but the collision turned into the inner conflict of many Russian artists and critics, it was in their own hearts. this inner conflict originated by Belinsky, and then caused a tradition in Russian literature.Chapter II Discussing Isaiah Berlin's discovery is meaningful to us for re-understanding the Russian classical writers. In Berlin's research, Ivan Turgenev and Leo Tolstoy were two most important writers in the collision. Turgenev was a great artist but he was keen on social themes, Berlin's research is the explanation to the phenomenon. The collision between two ideas of art turned into the collision between the artistic genius and his social conscience in Tolstoy's heart, Berlin's research is the explanation to the division of Tolstoy's literature and his art theory.ChapterⅢDiscussing the relationship of Isaiah Berlin's research on the collision between two ideas of art in Russian literature and his ideas of value pluralism. The collision in Russian literature and its response in Russian artists and critics can be regarded as the exemplification of the collision between rationalistic monism and value pluralism. Berlin's intense defence of value pluralism and Russian intelligentsia in 19th century can be regarded as the real purpose of Berlin's research on the collision between two ideas of art in Russian literature.