Maxim Gorky and Newspaper “Rul'” [Steering Wheel]: Three Phases of Their Relationship

This article explores the long and complex relationship between the Rul’ [ Steering Wheel ] newspaper and M. Gorky. The study aims to analyze the publications in the Rul’ that critique Gorky’s work, as well as to identify the stages of change in the relationship between this publication and the writer. The research material consists of a corpus of articles from the Rul’ spanning from 1921 to 1931, along with letters from Maxim Gorky in which he evaluates the newspaper and comments on his stance regarding the emerging controversy between himself and the Rul’ . As a result of this investigation, three distinct periods in the relationship between Gorky and the Rul’ have been identified, each characterized by its own specificity based on the dichotomy of aesthetic and political perspectives. It is posited that, on one hand, Gorky's figure served as a necessary antagonistic presence for the newspaper, representing a political dimension of this interaction. On the other hand, the author asserts that the editorial team of the Rul’ implicitly aimed to win over Gorky to their side, particularly evident in the first and partially in the second periods identified in this study. It is noted that despite the tense nature of their relationship, the literary-artistic criticism from the Rul’ generally acknowledged the merits of Gorky's prose.