Mystical realism in Russian prose of the 20th – 21st centuries
Alina Georgievna Sil'cheva
Litera May 1, 2026 DOI: 10.25136/2409-8698.2026.5.79038 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that mystical realism is a significant, continuous line in Russian prose of the 20th and 21st centuries, with its own logic of adapting to historical and cultural conditions: writers first "encoded" mystical content under socialist realism, then moved toward legitimization after perestroika. Contends that contemporary mystical realism reflects post-Soviet cultural searches for new meanings and identities, ranging from postmodernist play to ontological reflection. |
Abstract
The article is devoted to the study of the origins and development of mystical realism in Russian prose of the 20th and 21st centuries. It presents the author's concept of the influence of mystical and mythological aspects on the literary process, summarizing the experience of domestic prose in adapting, transforming, and "rejecting" mysticism. It is noted that socialist realism dominated Soviet literature, limiting expressions of the irrational. Writers were forced to "encode" mystical content by turning to fairy tales, legends, and science fiction. With the weakening of censorship during the perestroika period, mystical elements became an integral part of the literary process. The works of Dina Rubina, Sergey Shikera, Alexei Ivanov, Viktor Pelevin, Maria Galina, and Evgeny Vodolazkin are examined. Terminological difficulties are analyzed: there has been no unified approach in criticism to defining mystical realism. The work is based on cultural-historical and historical-genetic methods, allowing for the tracing of the evolution of mystical realism in the context of changing literary paradigms. The scientific novelty lies in the development of the author's concept, which views mystical realism as a significant line in the development of Russian prose in the 20th and 21st centuries, possessing its own logic of adaptation to historical and cultural conditions. For the first time, the experience of domestic literature in interacting with mysticism is summarized: from forced "encoding" during the era of socialist realism to legitimization in the post-Soviet period. In conclusion, it is emphasized that mystical realism today is not only a literary direction but also a reflection of profound cultural processes associated with the search for new meanings and identities in post-Soviet society. Contemporary prose offers a wide range of manifestations of the mystical: from postmodernist play to ontological reflection, indicating the relevance of mystical realism as a means of comprehending being, history, and human identity.