The two Veras in the works of Boris Zaitsev: on the problem of the writer’s artistic reception

This paper presents the analysis of Boris Zaitsev’s memoir novels “The Tale of Vera” and “Another Vera. The Tale of Bygone Years” created based on the correspondence between Vera Nikolaevna Muromtseva-Bunina and Vera Alekseevna Zaitseva. A hermeneutic approach is used to reveal the reconstruction of the letters exchanged between the two women. A comparative analysis of the novels identifies the shared themes that preoccupied both correspondents and explores the reasons behind their enduring epistolary dialogue in exile. The key distinction between the two works is determined to be the degree of Zaitsev’s authorial presence. In “The Tale of Vera”, he assumes an active narrative role, frequently interjecting with commentary, while in “Another Vera. The Tale of Bygone Years,” his voice recedes into the background, emerging only when necessary to ensure textual coherence and concision. Zaitsev’s comments, reflections, and complements to the letters create an organic fusion of documentary and literary elements, expanding the generic boundaries of memoir writing and endowing his prose with a syncretic quality that enhances its narrative potential. For Zaitsev, compiling the correspondence of the two Veras serves not only as an act of commemoration but also as a means of engaging in an internal dialogue with himself and with his own past.

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