Ivan Kashkin’s reception of the works by Gilbert Keith Chesterton

The article deals with literary critical perception of art created by the English literature classic G.K. Chesterton reflected in the works of the outstanding Soviet literary scholar and critic Ivan Aleksandrovich Kashkin. The author of the article analyses separate works by Kashkin as well as the critic’s dictionary entries. The article compares Kashkin’s opinion on Chesterton’s art in the various works by the critic written within more than twenty years. Kashkin analyses the writer’s works on philosophical topics, his critical and biographical works, essays, historical, theological, poetic and prosaic works including novels and short stories as well as his political views. Kashkin concludes that being a skillful author with a recognisable writing style, in his art Chesterton expresses primarily Orthodox worldview. At first sight, it seems optimistic and oriented on eliminating social injustice. In the end, however, his worldview seems tragic and rather utopian. Kashkin considers essays, poetry and detective stories to be the most impressive and idea-driven works by Chesterton who bears the traditions of classic English literature, whereas his novels seem to Kashkin of a lesser quality.