“Notes (1881 – 1916)” by B. A. Sadovsky as an ego-document

Abstract

The article considers “Notes (1881–1916)” by B. Sadovsky as a multifaceted text, combining the features of a family chronicle, biographical fiction and a chronicle of everyday life, which makes it possible to classify it as “ego documents”. The article analyzes the structure of the work, consisting of seven parts, each covering a certain period of B. Sadovsky’s life, and notes its stylistic features: the balance between documentary accuracy (dates, historical facts) and fictional imagery (everyday details, elements of a fairy tale, jokes). The article highlights the integration of personal and historical features in “Notes (1881– 1916)”, balancing the importance of public events and private stories. The text contains references to key figures of the Silver Age (V. Bryusov and K. Balmont), as well as the tragic fates, such as the suicide of poetess N. Lvova. Special attention is paid to the mosaic character of the author’s narrative, where documentary facts are intertwined with fiction techniques. The study is based on the concept of the “ego document” (J. Presser, A. Kravtsov), emphasizing that B. Sadovsky’s “Notes (1881–1916)” serve as an example of a synthesis of memoir, autobiographical and biographical genres. The work contributes to the discussion about the nature of ego documents, demonstrating how the author’s personal experience becomes part of the historical and cultural context at the turn of the 19^th –20^th centuries.