Russian Evolution: Rozhdestvensky and the ‘image of the author’ explored with reference to his book General Philology (1996) Moscow

The work of Professor Yuri Rozhdestvensky is almost completely unavailable in English. This paper provides analysis of two parts of his book, General Philology – the Introduction and Chapter Five entitled ‘Printed Literature’ . This work is translated for the first time by Paul and Elena Richard and is now available on https://sas-space.sas.ac.uk . Analysis of this translated work reveals Rozhdestvensky’s lifelong interest and commitment to a theory of culture as a historical, linguistic, philological and semiotic development. The paper presented here highlights the analysis of poetics in Chapter Five with reference to Professor V. V. Vinogradov whose work is also largely unavailable in English translation. The use of codes, as defined by Roman Jakobson, provides the theory for the provision of connections between Rozhdestvensky’s analysis of culture, poetics, linguistics, semiotics and philology whereby his work can be understood by those unfamiliar with his theoretical position. This includes special emphasis on Vinogradov’s theory of the image of the author. The necessary component of diachrony in Rozhdestvensky’s work and the links to the discipline of Narratology are highlighted. It is concluded that Rozhdestvensky has unique and original contributions to make to academic studies through his particular understanding of a Theory of Culture.