Evgeny Zamiatin: Perspectives on Literature, Culture, and Human Nature

Abstract

In this thesis, I will analyze a selection of Evgeny Zamiatin’s theoretical works, addressing prominent themes, including the historical and political context of his works, the future and purpose of literature, the role and responsibilities of writers in society, people’s responsibilities toward each other as humans, who creates societal change, and how they accomplish change. I will consider Zamiatin’s definitions of “revolutions”, “heretics”, and “heresy” to demonstrate how they apply to his understanding of the role of writers and the purpose of literature. I will apply the core ideas of these essays to an analysis of how ideas from Zamiatin’s theoretical works manifest themselves in his novel We, with an especial focus on how Zamiatin adhered to his own vision for a brave, “heretical” writer. Through a semiotic perspective, I will explore some of the possible meanings and interpretations of We to reveal the relevance of this work to a twenty-first century audience. All English translations of original Russian text are my own.