Background
ORLOV, Aleksandr was born on February 4, 1871 in Moscow.
ORLOV, Aleksandr was born on February 4, 1871 in Moscow.
1906 graduate History and Philology Faculty, Moscow University. Defended master’s thesis.
Until 1931 taught at Moscow University and other higher educational establishments. From 1931 deputy director, Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin Center) in Leningrad. From 1933 founder-head, Department of Ancient Russian Literature, Institute of Russian Literature.
Studied textology and monuments of Ancient Russian literature Tried to influence the study of Ancient Russian lit away from “bibliography” towards the “artistic qualities” and esthetic features of individual lit works. Studied Russian chronicles.
Poucheniye Vladimira Monomakha (The Homily of Vladimir Monomakh). Domostroy (The Economicum). Smutnoye vremya (The Time of the Troubles).
Also studied Ancient Russian narrative lit, original and translated. Did intensive research on Slovo o polku Igoreve (The Lay of the Host of Igor). In 1940’s showed an interest in patriotic and heroic themes in Ancient Russian literature.
Also studied Russian and Kazakh folklore and 18th—19th Century lit, especially Pushkin, Trediakovskiy, Griboyedov, Krylov, Turgenev and Leskov. Studied paleography, bibliography and language of Russian writers.
Religious edicts impose irrational rules on people’s behaviour.
Every Soviet citizen has rights to express his or her opinion, but it should be in accordance with the general interests of the society.
Member, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics Academy of Sciences from 1931.