Mikhail Bakhtin (1895-1975)
Russian literary theorist whose ideas have significantly affected western thinking
since his time. For Bakhtin, true thought is not to be found in the isolated minds of
individuals, but at that point of dialogic contact between people engaged in discourse.
History
Bakhtin was born in Orel, Russia.
After graduating from St.
Petersburg University in 1918, Bakhtin taught
for a time, then moved to Vitebsk and
began to
write and develop his
critical thoeries. Because of Stalinist
censorship, however, he often
published works under the names of friends.
He died in Moscow in 1975.
Movements
Formalism (Russian)
Writings
- Problemy poetiki Dostoyevskogo (1929; Problems
of Dostoevsky's Poetics)
Influential People
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