Constantin TONU
Brodsky vs. Kundera: Pan-Slavism and the Struggle for Europe’s Cultural Identity
Institution:
Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca
Author's email:
constantin.tonu@ubbcluj.ro
Abstract:
This study explores the intellectual confrontation between Milan Kundera and Joseph Brodsky, focusing on their divergent interpretations of Dostoevsky and the Russian cultural identity. Framed within the ideological contexts of Pan-Slavism and Slavophilia, the analysis reveals deeper tensions concerning European identity, geopolitical discourse, and the role of literature in post-war ideological conflict. While Kundera critiques Russian sentimentalism and its links to authoritarianism, Brodsky defends Russian literature’s complexity and universality. The article underscores literature’s power as a symbolic arena for negotiating identity and cultural memory in a divided Europe.
