Nekrasov’s funeral illustrates that educated Russians took their literature seriously

As a key figure in Russian literary history, the editor of The Contemporary, NA Nekrasov, is probably best known for his tempestuous funeral. He died in December 1877, and thousands of people, mainly university students, highbrow malcontents and radical intellectuals, followed his casket to the graveside. Dostoyevsky (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, writer of Crime and Punishment) himself delivered an oration at the cemetery, and expressed the view that Nekrasov was worthy to be placed beside Pushkin and Lermontov in the poetic pantheon. ‘Higher still than Pushkin or Lermontov!’ exclaimed a young voice in the crowd. Upon which, the funeral ceremony turned into a passionate literary debate, with some people declaring Nekrasov’s superiority to Pushkin, and others thinking that this was to place him to high” (p96, Tolstoy, Wilson). The Contemporary was closed down a decade before by the censors.