Doctor Zhivago

Historical Context and Significance

«Doctor Zhivago» is a novel by Russian poet and writer Boris Pasternak, first published in 1957 in Italy. The book describes the life and trials of Yuri Zhivago, a doctor and poet, during the Russian Revolution and Civil War. The novel is a significant work of Russian literature as it challenges traditional notions of socialist realism and explores themes of love, freedom, devotion, and hardship through the personal experiences of its characters. In the Soviet Union, the work was criticized and not published until 1988, contributing to its cult status. Boris Pasternak was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958 for this novel, but he declined it under pressure from Soviet authorities.