Un'esperienza mi(s)tica: i viaggi di Hamsun e di Rilke in Russia all'alba del ventesimo secolo

In the late 19th and early 20th century, Russia and the Slavic world were considered by some Western poets and intellectuals as a part of Europe where human society had not (yet) been spoiled by the industrial revolution, and whose people, therefore, kept more primitive, genuine and vital values and customs alive. Russia was visited by the Norwegian Knut Hamsun in 1899 and by the German-speaking Rainer Maria Rilke in 1899 and 1900, and their experiences are recorded in significant works and letters. This paper examines aspects of their travels and highlights similarities and differences in their relationship with the places, peoples and cultures they described, pointing out Hamsun’s mythical approach and Rilke’s mystical attitude.