SOURCE: “Rozanov and Autobiography: The Case of Vasily Vasilievich,” in Autobiographical Statements in Twentieth-Century Russian Literature, edited by Jane Gary Harris, Princeton University Press, 1990, pp. 36-51.

In the following essay, Crone argues that Rozanov created a fictional self in his autobiographical writings, which serve to help him articulate thoughts and opinions on a wide variety of topics.

Rozanov's Use of the Autobiographical Mode

In a recent discussion of modern autobiography Paul de Man wrote: “Empirically as well as theoretically, autobiography lends itself poorly to generic definition; each specific instance seems to be an exception to the norm.”¹ Nevertheless, Elizabeth Bruss in Autobiographical Acts puts forth some general guidelines for autobiography as a genre. Although she stipulates that these may sometimes be violated, she suggests that they provide a basis for generic definition. The essential aspects of her “rules” for autobiography that have relevance for Rozanov's use of the...