Marina Cvetaeva and Her Readers

This article provides an overview of the main issues related to the reception of Marina Tsvetaeva in Russia in the post-war period and serves as an introduction to the present special issue. It suggests that her image as a martyr was especially appealing to the writers and critics of the Thaw period reared on the Romantic myth of the poet-hero and Christ-like figure. It also points to the growing popularity of Tsvetaeva in the post-Soviet period and highlights the most important responses to Tsvetaevaʼs works found in Russian contemporary culture, including films, monuments and museums that continue to commemorate her life and celebrate her achievements.