Topical Issues in Publishing the Letters of F. M. Dostoevsky and His Correspondents

The article provides an overview of the editorial principles in publishing F.M. Dostoevsky’s epistolary heritage. An analysis of these principles allows to discuss the evolution of goals and objectives of the researchers involved in the preparation of Dostoevsky’s and his correspondents’ letters for publication. At the same time, this review reveals the problems that the researchers have encountered and continue to face for over 130 years of studies of the writer’s epistolary heritage. The literary value of Dostoevsky’s letters was recognized immediately after his death. They aroused interest both as a biographical source and as part of the writer’s literary heritage. A significant number of letters to A. E. Vrangel, A. N. Maykov, N. N. Strakhov, I. S. Aksakov and others were published as early as in the 1880s. Particular attention was heeded to Dostoevsky’s correspondence with readers, writers, editors, and journalists. The first publications of Dostoevsky’s letters did not pursue any scientific goals and presented them as part of the writer’s creative heritage. Many problems associated with the systematization of correspondence, search for manuscript autographs, lost or undiscovered letters, principles of publication of epistolary sources have already emerged at that time. In the 1920—1930s, the researchers, still focusing on Dostoevsky’s letters, turned to his addressees’ letters, which began to be recognized as an integral part of the correspondence. The corps of letters of certain correspondents were set apart, specific epistolary cycles were formed, mutual correspondence began to be published, and a gradual mastering of its historical, cultural and commentary potential commenced. The emerging trends were subsequently developed. Principles that included the completeness of presentation of correspondence, precision of reproduction of handwritten text, and a scientific and critical approach to the study and publication of the letters came to the fore. Despite the significant successes achieved by the researchers, many problems of publishing Dostoevsky’s correspondence are still relevant, for example, structuring the letters in an integral manner. At present, the publication of the writer’s epistolary heritage and the letters of his correspondents sets the task of publishing a complete annotated code of correspondence both in print and in an electronic form. The electronic publication format has certain advantages, as it expands the number of manuscript material presentation modes and, in turn, the chance for researchers to further study Dostoevsky’s epistolary heritage and the writer’s life and work as a whole.