Maria Rubens Lecturer at the University of London Country: Great Britain

Biography of Maria Rubins

Maria Rubins is a professor at the University of London who specializes in Russian-French literary connections. She has a strong interest in Russian literary emigration and has conducted extensive research on the topic.

Maria Rubins graduated from the Faculty of Philology in St. Petersburg and later spent a significant amount of time living in America, where she earned her doctoral degree in Acmeist poetry. She is known for her translations of Irene Nemirovsky's novels into Russian, which have been widely published and successful.

Currently, Maria Rubins is working on a monograph about writers of the Parisian diaspora in the 1920s and 1930s. Her focus is on the younger generation of emigrants who arrived in France at an early age. These writers, who were born in Russia at the beginning of the century and experienced the turmoil of the revolution and exile, ultimately dedicated their lives to literature in France. Rubins aims to explore the various paths of their literary destinies, examining their integration into the Western European culture of the time and their complex relationship with Russia.

Rubins discusses the reasons why these writers chose to write in the Russian language, despite their fluency in French. She suggests that their choice was influenced by their feeling of being outsiders in France and the uncertainty brought by the changing policies of the French government towards emigrants. Additionally, the Russian language held romantic memories of their homeland and was rooted in their upbringing, as many of them received a traditional humanities education in Russia. They wanted to continue and develop the Russian literary and linguistic tradition.

Rubins highlights the difficulty in defining what makes a writer Russian or any other nationality. Language alone is not enough, as aesthetic traditions, mentality, and unique ways of perceiving the world also play a significant role. She believes that it is unproductive to categorize such writers solely as French, Russian, or American, as their works often synthesize two languages, cultures, and artistic traditions. Rubins emphasizes the richness and complexity found in the texts of bilingual writers, where one language can subtly influence the other, creating a unique literary experience.

In her research, Rubins has encountered the challenges and criticisms faced by immigrant writers, both those who write in foreign languages and those who continue writing in their native language. She acknowledges the vulnerability of writers in exile, as the lack of contact with their homeland makes it much more difficult to maintain their language skills. While musicians and artists can thrive in a new cultural environment, writers face a more dramatic struggle.

Overall, Maria Rubins's work sheds light on the fascinating world of Russian literary emigration and the complex identities of bilingual writers. Her research contributes to a deeper understanding of the connections between different cultures and languages, as well as the challenges and triumphs faced by writers in exile.