A. S. Pushkin's "The Undertaker" in the creative reception of Olympe Bhêly-Quénum

This article investigates the reception of Alexander Pushkin's works by the Beninese writer Olympe Bhêly-Quénum and analyzes the influence of the Russian classic's oeuvre on the African author's literary heritage. Particular emphasis is placed on the novella "The Undertaker", which is considered a point of origin for Bhêly-Quénum's engagement with Pushkin. The aim of this study is to determine the specific characteristics of Pushkin's reception by the Beninese writer. Autobiographical accounts by Bhêly-Quénum himself are used as source material. The scholarly novelty of this work lies in its systematic examination, for the first time, of the particularities of Olympe Bhêly-Quénum's perception of A. S. Pushkin's creative output. The research reveals, firstly, that Bhêly-Quénum's acquaintance with Pushkin began with reading "The Undertaker" in the journal “Lectures européennes” ("European Readings"), an introduction initiated by his father, who exerted a significant influence on the formation of his worldview and artistic method. Secondly, the study demonstrates thematic and stylistic parallels between Pushkin's works and Bhêly-Quénum's oeuvre, which is rooted in the tradition of Surrealism.