Reznik, Semyon. "Book's Life". pg. E5. The Washington Times. January 8th, 1990. LexisNexis. http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=542fbcc5c98b13c35001bacfa22e0132&_docnum=97&wchp=dGLbVzz-zSkVA&_md5=5efdc374d9ac37c253a0955d8d8fb96f

 

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    Semyon Reznik has written an extremely interesting book review in the The Washington Times about the Russian poet, Joseph Brodsky. I was fortunate enough to stumble across this article, which ties together a number of Russian writers who had been brutally suppressed during the rule of the Communist regime. Reznik's article sheds light on the difficulty that artists faced when writing individualistic works that praised man for his splendor and beauty. Boris Pasternak, author of the book, Doctor Zhivago, is one of the writers whom Reznik comments on, and is one of a handful of Russian men who have won the Nobel Prize for literature. However, Reznik says that these men garnered fame at a costly price. Many were harassed by the Soviet government and branded as national traitors. Under communist rule, art was supposed to reflect the beauty of the collective effort. Any works that geared away from this theme were looked down upon as "heretical". Reznik writes, "the fates of these five Nobel laureates provide a vivid illustration of how talented authors fare under a totalitarian regime. Anything created through one's own inspiration rather than dictated by the authorities is considered dangerous." ("Book Life", pg. 1). Reznik accurately portrays the hardships that plagued the life of such literary scholars, and his article weaves together a social context for Zhivago's character. In essence, Doctor Zhivago is very representative of this underground, artistic culture. He is a man who has been caught in the rise of a new form of Russian government, communism, and is unable to freely publish his works as a result. Some of the film's minor details become clearer after understanding this artistic suppression. For example, Yevgraf, Zhivago's brother, and Komarovsky frequently warn the protagonist that his poetry is viewed as subversive by the new government. He is in constant danger of upsetting the authorities, and this is one of the reasons he is forced to live out the rest of his days in an exile of sorts. David Lean portrays Zhivago as a man who is continually fleeing from the government in order to ensure the safety of his family. Even the ending becomes clear after reading Reznik's article. Doctor Zhivago separates himself from Lara in order to protect her and their unborn child. His poetry is a danger to them both. However, "Book Life" has also allowed me to see how self-reflexive Doctor Zhivago really is. It is the story of a man with great literary aspirations, which are kept quiet under the rule of the Reds. But this story also reflects its author's situation. It is important to remember that Boris Pasternak was also a writer who's greatest work, Doctor Zhivago, was branded as "subversive" by the government. In fact, Pasternak was initially forced to publish the work outside of Russia, and it would be years until the ban on his masterpiece would be lifted. Therefore, the novel is truly a story within a story. Boris Pasternak, a suppressed artist under communist rule, wrote a story [Doctor Zhivago] about another suppressed artist, Yuri Zhivago, in the same situation.