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From: Antonio Marques <no_email@invalid.invalid>
Newsgroups: sci.lang
Subject: Re: Jack London's popularity in Russia stemmed from a
 confluence of factors
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:25:49 -0000 (UTC)
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Ross Clark <benlizro@ihug.co.nz> wrote:
> On 27/03/2024 2:19 p.m., HenHanna wrote:
>> 
>> Jack London (1876 -- 1916)
>> 
>> 
>> Jack London's popularity in Russia stemmed from a confluence of factors:
>> 
>> --  Socialist themes:          London was a vocal advocate for socialism 
>> and workers' rights, which resonated with the communist ideology of the 
>> Soviet Union.      His works like "The Iron Heel" depicting a dystopian 
>> capitalist society fit well with the Soviet narrative.
>> 
>> --  Struggle for survival:     Many of London's most famous stories, 
>> like "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang," depict characters battling 
>> the harsh elements and social Darwinist struggles.     This resonated 
>> with the hardships faced by the Russian people, especially during the 
>> revolutions and early Soviet period.
>> 
>> --  Everyman's hero:     London's protagonists often rose from humble 
>> beginnings, overcoming challenges through strength and resilience. This 
>> appealed to the Russian desire for heroes who embodied the spirit of the 
>> common people.
>> 
>> -- Accessibility:     Unlike some complex literary works, London's 
>> adventure stories were known for their straightforward prose and 
>> exciting narratives, making them widely accessible to Russian readers.
>> 
>> 
>> It's interesting to note that some of London's views, like his 
>> occasional racial stereotypes, wouldn't be considered acceptable today.
>> 
>> However, during his time, his socialist leanings and focus on the 
>> underdog made him a popular figure in Soviet Russia, even for leader 
>> Vladimir Lenin.
> 
> That makes sense.
> 
> I had the same impression about London's popularity in the Soviet Union 
> at that time. I never visited Russia, but I was studying the language, 
> and my impression may have been based on Russian translations of English 
> books that were available in the local Communist bookstore.

Years ago there was a lady here (in sci.lang, I think) who mentioned Jack
London's russian translations were better than the originals.


> Another writer that apparently was favoured at that time was John 
> Galsworthy. Not having read him at all, I had the impression he was just 
> a chronicler of the English bourgeoisie, so he seemed like a strange 
> choice. 

Wasn't it Marx who enjoyed Balzac?