Thread: What do you like the most in Russian culture?

What do you think is the most fascinating/interesting thing in Russian culture?

(Please answer in English, I haven't learned any russian yet :) )

Originally Posted by klockan

What do you think is the most fascinating/interesting thing in Russian culture?

(Please answer in English, I haven't learned any russian yet )

The huge number of Russian spies. They are SOOO useful in filmmaking. Like, you can have the defector, or the evil torturer, or the one who goes into business for himself, or the kind that drinks vodka all day, or ....

Russian girls :P

I'm torn between russian girls and nesting dolls. (isn't that what they're called?)

I'm torn between russian girls and nesting dolls. (isn't that what they're called?)

Matryoshki (Матрёшки).

The most fascinating thing in Russian culture is novels and poetry of russian writers of XIX - beginning XX century. Take the books of Sholohov, Tolstoy, Pasternak, Chehov, Dostoevsky, Bulgakov and you realise it.

I just can't understand Westeners' admiration of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. It's so boring to read them, especially Dostoevsky with his slow style. Pushkin and Gogol wrote much better, but they are less known in West. I start to suspect that I'm not genuine Russian (starting to scratch himself).

Maybe you read their books at school and didn`t understand their philosophy. I can`t say I clearly understand every idea of these books but it`s the great difference to read Dostoevsky or Tolstoy when you are 14-15 and when you are bit older.

Originally Posted by Bisquit

I just can't understand Westeners' admiration of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. It's so boring to read them, especially Dostoevsky with his slow style. Pushkin and Gogol wrote much better, but they are less known in West. I start to suspect that I'm not genuine Russian (starting to scratch himself).

It's because of translations. You can't translate Pushkin. I mean you can translate the words but not the sense. So as somebody said: If you translate Pushkin into English you'll get Byron. Translate this:

У лукоморья дуб зелёный
Златая цепь на дубе том
И днём и ночью кот учёный
Всё ходит по цепи кругом.

Pushkin is boring to foreghners. But Dostoyevskiy with all his sobberings is allright because he's well translatable.

Well, I think both of you are right. Maybe I should reread Tolstoy. Talking of Pushkin reminds me of Nabokov's essey on Pushkin's translation into English. Hr said that it's total catastrophy to translate

Зима. Крестьянин торжествуя,
На дровнях обновляет путь.
Его лошадка, снег почуя,
Несется рысью как-нибудь.

Hr said that it's total catastrophy to translate

He has never read Yesenin! If he read he would understand what was the total catastrophy to translate.
Look into "translate" branch (topic Crazy poetry) and you`ll realize it!

водка

I know Gogoľ (e.g. Taras Buľba and I know Dostojevskij (e.g. Karamazovs' brothers). Both are writen in unique style, by unique manuscript. We can not to compare these two writers. And both of writers are well-readable for me.

What I admire on Russian culture?
The friendship,
the companionableness,
the sence for family,
the originality,
and finally its origin, Russian origin. Because there are many states with culture without the origin comming from their own. Rosija is still keeping in traditions more than the most of countries. We must say, there have been a culture boom of American culture, which is known as the American dream. Many small countries want to accept this (foreign) culture as their own to the prejudice of their historical customs. E.g. in Slovakia we have historicaly closer to our rusk

can you post a question about the opposite? then I can say something.

What do you dislike the most in Russian culture dey2006?

Originally Posted by Bisquit

Pushkin and Gogol wrote much better, but they are less known in West. I start to suspect that I'm not genuine Russian (starting to scratch himself).

That's because a translation of Pushkin's works will never be anywhere near the original. One of the many reasons why I'm learning Russian.

Apart from that... The huge number of evil Russians in movies. I always had a thing for the villain.

Originally Posted by dey2006

can you post a question about the opposite? then I can say something.

lol

Pushkin rocks. Every story involves a duel, stealing somebodies sister, and trading women for horses - or simply killing old ladies

tdk

Originally Posted by tdk2fe

Pushkin rocks. Every story involves a duel, stealing somebodies sister, and trading women for horses - or simply killing old ladies

tdk

I mean you Pushkin mix up with Dostoevsky

Originally Posted by klockan

What do you think is the most fascinating/interesting thing in Russian culture?

1. Пушкин, Гоголь, Булгаков, Шолохов.
2. Русская природа.
3. Чёрный хлеб, солёные огурцы, печёная картошка.
4. Деревенская баня.
5. Разговор по душам.