Maxim Gorky and Immanuel Kant: the discussion about the nature of creativity in the “Story about a novel” (Berlin, 1924)

The article contains the analysis of the influence of Immanuel Kant’s philosophy on the work of A. M. Gorky. The author deals with the aesthetic aspect of the influence of Kant’s philosophy on Maxim Gorky’s prose, in particular, in the German period of Gorky’s work. Gorky’s heritage is perceived in the light of Immanuel Kant’s influence. It opens up points of contact and moments of antagonism, reflected not only in Gorky’s personal understanding of Kant (which is found in Gorky’s correspondence with A. A. Bogdanov, M. M. Prishvin, A. K. Vinogradov, L. F. Khinkulova and others), but also in Gorky’s artistic works. The author analyzes the writer’s worldview in comparison with Kant’s views, and also revealed that Immanuel Kant’s philosophy played a vital part in Gorky’s formation as a writer. A special case of this influence is the text “A Story about a Novel”. This text is analyzed in more detail. Gorky’s disagreement with some of the statements of Kant’s philosophy (concerning the nature of creativity and aesthetic views) was largely revealed in this text. The author shows that the rejection of some aspects of Immanuel Kant’s philosophy related to the understanding of creativity is caused not only by ideological differences, such as the difference in understanding the world and man, but also with different attitudes to aesthetics and the nature of creativity. The article is included in the current scientific context, as it allows us to understand Gorky’s work differently. In addition, it indicates that Gorky’s “rejection” of Kant’s philosophy is also connected with theoretical and literary concepts, including the creative strategy of the writer, the features and nature of his prose, as well as fundamental discrepancy in the understanding of artistic creativity.