A century ago the Symbolists in Moscow and St. Petersburg dreamed of a fundamental transformation of life in Russia. From their reading of signs in the heavens, these poets, philosophers, and mystics sensed that tsardom was on the threshold of an apocalyptic upheaval. They were influenced by Vladimir Solovyov and Friedrich Nietzsche, but under the impact of the 1905 Revolution they later also subscribed to current radical political ideas. The eventual collision between these dreams and tsarist reality generated enormous intellectual turbulence and the need for substitutes. Not least psychoanalysis came to the rescue of these stranded dreamers. The present collection of essays is intended for readers interested in Russian literature or the early history of Eastern European offshoots of psychoanalysis.

About the Author
Magnus Ljunggren defended his doctoral thesis The Dream of Rebirth. A Study of Andrej Belyj's novel 'Peterburg' at Stockholm University in 1982. He is presently Professor Emeritus of Russian Language and Literature at the University of Gothenburg. His most important monograph is The Russian Mephisto (1994).

Reviews
A substantial volume of captivating materials and speculations as well as some original avenues of thought for further scholarly investigation." - Modern Language Review, Volume 111, Part 2, April 2016



". . . Poetry and Psychiatry will certainly provide fruit for future research, and it may also serve as a good introduction to Russian Symbolism for scholars working on the history of psychoanalysis." -- Jason Strudler, Vanderbilt University, The Russian Review (January 2016, Vol. 75, No. 1)





Book Information
ISBN 9781618113696
Author Magnus Ljunggren
Format Paperback
Page Count 160
Imprint Academic Studies Press
Publisher Academic Studies Press