The Underworld of Benia Krik and I. Babel’s Odessa Stories
1994; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 36; Issue: 1-2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/00085006.1994.11092049
ISSN2375-2475
Autores Tópico(s)Soviet and Russian History
ResumoIn 1916, a short essay entitled by the then young and unknown writer, I. Babel, appeared in M. Gorky's Zhurnal zhurnalov. Using the typical manifestolike rhetoric of his times, I. Babel predicted in that a new literary messiah would come from that sunny port metropolis to break with the literary tradition of grey and foggy Petersburg. While it remains a question whether Babel himself fulfilled the role of such a messiah, he was responsible for helping to shape the popular image of his native city in his Stories. It is also true, however, that an image of had been formed well before Babel provided the material for his picture of and its Moldavanka district. This image of the city may be viewed as one text.1 Such a unites two narrative structures: the structure provided by the history of the city, newspaper reports, urban folklore, and also the structure actualized in literary works. The very title of one of Babel's Stories, How It Was Done in Odessa (KaK 3to aejiajiocb b Oaecce) suggests that the way of doing things had very distinct features. Indeed, this phrase can be attributed not only to Stories, but to the text in general. While the urban landscape of Petersburg had been associated with the evil and oppressive powers of the Empire, the image of in the nineteenth century evoked notions of freedom. In the Jewish context, Odessa, though located within the Pale of Settlement, offered a land of opportunity, an alternative to America, Argentina, Palestine, or forbidden Petersburg. As one prerevolutionary writer commented, If a Jew from the Pale of Settlement does not dream of America or Palestine, know that he will be in Odessa.2 In addition, had the reputation of being what historian Robert Weinberg has called the Russian Eldorado, a place where easy money could be made. Like Menachem Mendl from Sholom Aleichem's stories, Jewish Luftenmenschen set out for in hopes of realizing their dreams. While
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