This paper examines images of the mad poet in Russian Symbolist
works, identifying their source in the Romantic movement and
pinpointing how the Symbolists adapted the Romantic cult of madness to
suit their own purposes. The turn of the twentieth century in Russia
witnessed a confluence of interest among literary and scientific
circles, as an age-old fascination with the phenomena of genius and
madness gained new impetus. Approaches to the subject differed
considerably, however, and often clashed. The artist's psyche became a
focus of study and psychiatrists engaged in literary interpretation,
often declaring writers mentally ill on the basis of their works
alone. The Symbolists were favorite subjects of study as they shocked
audiences with a new art that challenged prevailing literary tastes,
discarding the criteria set by social-utilitarian criticism and
clearing the way once again for poets to sing of subjective
experience. They often looked back to their Romantic predecessors for
justification, claiming the poet's prerogative of madness in defense
of their art and personal lives. As Joan Delaney Grossman has noted,
what they sought was a model of the poet as a free artist,
independent of social demands; unrestricted in his choice of theme and
form, responsible only to his poetic inspiration
(