Le ravin (The Precipice)
Basic Information
"Le ravin" (The Precipice) is a Russian novel that Marie Bashkirtseff mentions reading in her September 1873 diary entries. Based on her descriptions of the characters and plot elements, this appears to be "Обрыв" (The Precipice) by Ivan Goncharov, published in 1869. In her diary, Marie refers to it by its French translation title "Le ravin."
The Novel and Its Author
Ivan Goncharov (1812-1891) was a major Russian novelist of the 19th century, best known for his novel "Oblomov" (1859). "The Precipice," his third and final novel, was published in 1869 after being serialized in the journal "Vestnik Evropy" (The European Herald). The novel explores themes of generational conflict, the changing social landscape of Russia, and the clash between traditional values and new, radical ideas.
The novel centers around a love triangle involving the young, idealistic artist Raisky, his cousin Vera, and the nihilist Mark Volokhov. Set in a provincial Russian town on the Volga River, the story unfolds against the backdrop of a literal precipice that becomes a metaphor for the moral and social dangers facing Russian society.
Significance in Marie Bashkirtseff's Life
Marie's engagement with "Le ravin" reveals several aspects of her intellectual and cultural life:
1. Literary Interests: Despite claiming to have "mépris pour les romans" (contempt for novels), Marie shows genuine enthusiasm for this Russian novel, particularly enjoying its humor and character development.
2. Russian Cultural Identity: Her reading of contemporary Russian literature in French translation demonstrates her connection to Russian culture despite living abroad.
3. Intellectual Capacity: Her detailed analysis of the characters and plot shows her sophisticated literary understanding at the young age of 14.
4. Reading Habits: Marie mentions that she "n'ai jamais la patience de finir un roman" (never has the patience to finish a novel), yet she continues reading this one in installments, suggesting that it particularly captured her interest.
Marie's Commentary on the Novel
In her September 6, 1873 entry, Marie provides a detailed and enthusiastic assessment of the novel and its characters:
- She finds the dream sequence of the character Vikentieff "extrarisible" (extremely funny)
- She describes the grandmother character as "sublime"
- She characterizes Marfinka as "charmante" (charming)
- She calls Vera "folle" (crazy/wild)
- She describes Mark as "original insolent" (originally insolent)
- She particularly enjoys Vikentieff, finding him "plein d'humour et de verve" (full of humor and verve)
Her cousin Dina was so taken with Vikentieff's dream sequence that she wanted to retell it as her own, changing the character names to those of people they knew.
Historical and Cultural Context
Marie's reading of "The Precipice" in 1873, just four years after its publication, shows that she kept up with contemporary Russian literature despite living in France. The novel would have been particularly relevant to Russians living abroad, as it deals with questions of Russian identity and the tension between traditional Russian values and Western European influences.
The fact that Marie was reading the novel in French translation ("Le ravin") rather than in the original Russian may reflect her educational background. While she was fluent in multiple languages, her formal education had been primarily in French, which may have made reading complex literary works easier in that language.
Mentions in the Diary
- September 2, 1873: Marie mentions reading "Le ravin" but notes she "never has the patience to finish a novel"
- September 6, 1873: Detailed discussion of the novel's characters, particularly enjoying Vikentieff's dream sequence
- September 7, 1873: Mentions reading "Le ravin" again
%% 2025-04-05T18:50:00 RSR: Created glossary entry for "Le ravin" (The Precipice) based on Marie's September 1873 diary entries. The novel appears to be Ivan Goncharov's "Обрыв" (The Precipice) published in 1869, which Marie was reading in French translation. %%