The Use of Pseudonyms in the Literary Work of Russian Writers

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the reasons and features of the use of pseudonyms by Russian writers. The relevance of this study stems from the need to systematize knowledge about the motives behind the choice of pseudonyms and their role in literary creativity. The aim of the study is to comprehensively analyze the phenomenon of pseudonyms in Russian literature. To achieve this goal, the following objectives were set: 1) to assess the dynamics of literary pseudonym use; 2) to identify the main reasons for the use of pseudonyms; 3) to analyze the rationale and context behind the choice of a particular pseudonym. The research materials include the works and biographical materials of several Russian writers of the 19th and early 20th centuries who used pseudonyms in their literary work. The research methodology is based on historical and literary analysis, as well as a cultural approach, which together allowed the authors to identify patterns and unique instances of pseudonym use. The results of the study expand understanding of the role of pseudonyms in Russian literature and demonstrate that the unique palette of Russian literary pseudonyms is shaped by the combination of several factors. The following conclusions were made in the course of the study: 1) two opposing dynamic models of the pseudonym process were identified: the transition from a pseudonym to a real name and, conversely, the replacement of a real name with a fictitious one, including the formation of double surnames; 2) a classification of the reasons for the use of pseudonyms was established, dividing them into external, conditioned by the socio-political context, and internal, associated with the personal or creative motives of the author; 3) two main types of logic for choosing a pseudonym were identified: autobiographical, referring to factual aspects of the writer's life, and allusive, inspired by cultural and literary phenomena.