Epoch / Period vs Generation in the Literary and Critical Consciousness of the 19th Century

This article analyses the functioning of concepts “epoch”, “period”, and “generation” in nineteenth-century literature, criticism, literature studies. The concept “epoch” presupposes a linear stage understanding interpretation history, “period” can also be used within other historical development. sometimes replaced by “century”, were traditionally as measurement units culture history (cf. works A. Bestuzhev, I. Kireevsky, V. Belinsky, etc.). One first periodisations Russian which employed these was given M. Born. its meaning contains biological, natural connotation, therefore is not necessarily associated with time. As S. N. Zenkin puts it, “a generation time embodied people, their dramatic destiny”. often periods require person to comprehend themselves place history. A good example Romanticism decades nineteenth century. Another factor that actualises generational problems influence biological naturalistic ideas when community motif people doomed born live this “in blood” emerges quite unfavorable situation considered author paper regarding P. Chekhov’s works, who actively marked himself belonging eighties’ “artel” (generation) 1880s. subject his characters’ argument subsequently recurs fiction. All mentioned are analysed History Literature 19th Century (1908–1911, ed. D. Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky), summed up achievements cultural school. emphasises how book (History...) develops method working concepts, later comes demand twentieth-century humanities.