[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-143610-en":3,"doc-seo-143610-105":30,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":91},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":20,"is_downloadable":20,"audit_status":20,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":27,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":28,"read_time":29},143610,1099514068035,"Ezra","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c",2,"Literature","Petersburg","Petersburg traces the opening of a literary tale set in the Russian Empire, treating the city as both a geographical construct and a living, self-declaring presence. The prologue blends satirical description of imperial geography with vivid imagery of Nevskii Prospect, emphasizing how maps, circular forms, printed matter, and public movement create the sensation that Petersburg exists. Chapter One introduces Apollon Apollonovich Ableukhov and a story framed through ancestry and a comically detailed morning scene.","ANDREI BELY  \nPETERSBURG  \nTranslated from the Russian by John Elsworth  \nPUSHKIN PRESS  \nLONDON  \nContents  \nTitle Page  \nMap  \nPROLOGUE  \nCHAPTER ONE  \nCHAPTER TWO  \nCHAPTER THREE  \nCHAPTER FOUR  \nCHAPTER FIVE  \nCHAPTER SIX  \nCHAPTER SEVEN  \nCHAPTER EIGHT  \nEPILOGUE  \nTRANSLATOR’S AFTERWORD  \nACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  \nCopyright  \nPETERSBURG  \nPROLOGUE  \nYOUR EXCELLENCIES, your Highnesses, Lords and Ladies, Citizens! What is this Russian Empire ofours?  \nThe Russian Empire is in the first place a geographical unit, which is to say: part ofa certain planet. And the Russian Empire comprises: first ofall—Greater Rus, Lesser Rus, White Rus and Red Rus; secondly—the Georgian, Polish, Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms; thirdly, it comprises … But—etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.  \nThis Russian empire of ours consists of a multitude of cities: metropolitan cities, provincial capitals, regional capitals, cities of no administrative importance; and furthermore—ofthe Ancient Capital and of the Mother of Russian Cities.  \nThe Ancient Capital is Moscow; and the Mother of Russian Cities is Kiev.  \nPetersburg, or Saint Petersburg, or Peter (which is the same thing) belongs properly to the Russian Empire. And Tsargrad, Konstantinograd (or, as people say, Constantinople), belongs by right ofinheritance. We will not expatiate further about that.  \nLet us expatiate further about Petersburg: there exists—Petersburg, or Saint Petersburg, or Peter (which is the same thing). On the basis of these same judgements Nevskii Prospect is a Petersburg Prospect.  \nNevskii Prospect possesses an astonishing quality: it consists of space for the circulation of the public; it is delimited by numbered houses; the numbering proceeds in the order of the houses—and the quest for the required house is greatly facilitated. Nevskii Prospect is, like any other Prospect, a public Prospect; that is to say: a Prospectfor the circulation of the public (not of the air, for instance); the houses that form its lateral limits are—ahem …quite so: …for  \nthe public. In the evenings Nevskii Prospect is illuminated by electricity. In  \nthe daytime Nevskii Prospect requires no illumination.  \nNevskii Prospectforms a straight line (between ourselves), because it is a European Prospect; and every European Prospect is not merely a Prospect, but (as I have already said) a European Prospect, because …well …yes …  \nAnd that is why Nevskii Propsect forms a straight line.  \nNevskii Prospect is a Prospect of no little importance in this—not Russian—metropolitan—city. Other Russian cities consist of a pile of mean little wooden houses.  \nAnd Petersburg is strikingly different from them all.  \nIf, however, you persist in asserting the quite ridiculous legend to the effect that there exists a population of a million-and-a-half in Moscow—then it will be necessary to concede that Moscow must be the capital, for it is only in capital cities that we find a population ofa million-and-a-half; in provincial capitals there is not, never was and never will be a population of a million-and-a-half. And in accordance with that ridiculous legend it transpires that the capital is not Petersburg.  \nBut if Petersburg is not the capital, then Petersburg does not exist. It merely seems to exist.  \nHowever that may be, Petersburg not only seems, but truly manifests itself—on maps: in the form of two concentric circles with a black point in the middle; and from this mathematical point, which possesses no dimensions, it energetically proclaims that it exists: from there, from that said point, swarms of printed books issue in a torrent; from this invisible point with great momentum issue circulars.  \nCHAPTER ONE  \nIn which is told of a certain worthy person, his cerebral play and ephemerality of being.  \nOnce there was a dreadful time.  \nThe memory of it is not stale.  \nIt is ofthis, my friends, that I  \nWill now commence for you my tale—  \nA sad one will my story be.  \nA Pushkin  \nApollon ApollonovichAbleukhov  \nAPOLLON he had","cbCairAbnvNc4Uax","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCairAbnvNc4Uax","pdf",4196591,1,555,"English","en",105,"# Contents\n## Prologue\n## Chapter One\n## Chapter Two\n## Chapter Three\n## Chapter Four\n## Chapter Five\n## Chapter Six\n## Chapter Seven\n## Chapter Eight\n## Epilogue\n## Translator’s Afterword\n## Acknowledgements","[{\"question\":\"What is the core idea of the prologue regarding Petersburg?\",\"answer\":\"Petersburg is presented as a city that both “seems to exist” and truly manifests itself—especially through maps and the flow of printed material that issues from its central point.\"},{\"question\":\"How does Nevskii Prospect characterize the city?\",\"answer\":\"Nevskii Prospect is described as a public space with a straight, European-like layout, defined by numbered houses and supported by evening illumination.\"},{\"question\":\"Who is introduced at the beginning of Chapter One?\",\"answer\":\"Chapter One centers on Apollon Apollonovich Ableukhov, linking his origins to revered ancestry and beginning with a comically mundane morning scene.\"}]","Petersburg | 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is the core idea of the prologue regarding Petersburg?","Question",{"text":75,"@type":76},"Petersburg is presented as a city that both “seems to exist” and truly manifests itself—especially through maps and the flow of printed material that issues from its central point.","Answer",{"name":78,"@type":73,"acceptedAnswer":79},"How does Nevskii Prospect characterize the city?",{"text":80,"@type":76},"Nevskii Prospect is described as a public space with a straight, European-like layout, defined by numbered houses and supported by evening illumination.",{"name":82,"@type":73,"acceptedAnswer":83},"Who is introduced at the beginning of Chapter One?",{"text":84,"@type":76},"Chapter One centers on Apollon Apollonovich Ableukhov, linking his origins to revered ancestry and beginning with a comically mundane morning 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