Daniil Kharms

Kharms after his second arrest in 1941

Daniil Kharms (1905–1942) was a Soviet-era surrealist and absurdist poet, writer, and dramatist. His work was largely ignored or suppressed during his lifetime, but Kharms has since been celebrated for his original and inventive use of language, as well as his absurd, sometimes grotesque, narratives which often defied the socialist realism that dominated Soviet literature.

Early Life

Daniil Kharms was born Daniil Ivanovich Yuvachev in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1905. He developed an early interest in literature and was influenced by the works of Russian and European authors. Kharms was particularly drawn to the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century, which would greatly influence his later work.

Career

In the late 1920s, Kharms co-founded the OBERIU, an association of writers, poets, and artists who were united by their interest in absurdism and their opposition to the literary conventions of their time. The OBERIU sought to create art that was free from political influence, focusing instead on the individual's experience of the illogical and the bizarre.

Kharms's writings often featured a combination of dark humor, nonsensical scenarios, and a disregard for narrative continuity. His characters frequently encountered violent or tragic ends, and his prose leaned heavily on repetition and contradiction. Despite the seemingly chaotic nature of his work, Kharms's writings are often seen as a critique of the Soviet regime and its attempts to control artistic expression.

Arrest and Death

Kharms's opposition to Soviet ideology and his refusal to conform to socialist realism in his work eventually led to his arrest by the NKVD, the Soviet secret police, in 1931. He was charged with anti-Soviet activities and spent a year in exile in Kursk. In 1941, during the siege of Leningrad, Kharms was arrested again, this time on charges of spreading defeatist sentiment. He died in prison in 1942, under circumstances that remain unclear.

Legacy

For many years after his death, Kharms's works were banned in the Soviet Union, and he remained a relatively obscure figure. It was not until the late 20th century that his writings began to be published and gain recognition both in Russia and internationally. Today, Kharms is regarded as a key figure in Russian literature, particularly in the genres of absurdism and surrealism. His works have been translated into many languages, and he has influenced a wide range of writers and artists around the world.

Selected Works

• Incidences (Случаи)
• The Blue Notebook No. 10
• The Old Woman (Старуха)

See Also

• Surrealism
• Absurdism
• OBERIU
• Russian literature