The Peculiarity of the Comic in M. Stogovsky’s Feuilletons (1918-1919)

Abstract

Mikhail Stogovsky is the pseudonym of the now-forgotten Siberian author Mikhail Nikolaevich Ananyev. In 1918- 1919 he regularly published his satirical texts in the newspaper Russian Speech . The newspaper was published in the Siberian city, which was then called Novo-Nikolaevsk. M. Stogovsky describes the absurdity of modern reality, so he often uses quotations from newspapers as epigraphs that define a comic position. During two years of work in the Novikolaevsk’s newspaper, there is a dynamic in his texts: from light humorous texts to sharp satire about the new political regime. M. Stogovsky preferred allegorical genres (fables, fairy tales), many of which are devoted to the topic of political struggle at the end of 1918 and at the beginning of 1919. By the end of 1919, the Bolsheviks and their political regime became the main object of ridicule, because Siberia was still under the control of the White Army during the publication of the newspaper Russian Speech . Bolshevism was perceived as an enemy movement, the authors faced the task of creating not just an entertaining text, but creating negative images of the leaders of Bolshevism, therefore caricature images of Lenin and Trotsky often appear in feuilletons. However, M. Stogovsky created a satire on all levels of society, including the local government and ordinary citizens. He skillfully mastered such comic techniques as irony and sarcasm, creating multi-valued, multi-level jokes and ridicule. This talent allowed M. Stogovsky to stand out among a large number of his contemporary feuilleton authors.