Andrey Kistyakovsky

Andrey Andreyevich Kistyakovsky (Russian: Андрей Андреевич Кистяковский, 11 October 1936, Moscow–30 June 1987) was a Russian translator and political activist. He translated belles-lettres and poetry from English to Russian and began publishing in 1967.

Kistyakovsky's 1982 partial translation of The Lord of the Rings (together with Vladimir Muravyov) became the first official Russian translation and remains one of the most acclaimed Russian translations of the novel.^[1]

Kistyakovsky hailed from an old dvoryan family. He left the school in the eighth grade and worked as a gasman and metalworker before entering Moscow State University.^[2] In 1960s he chummed up with non-conformist artists. In 1971 he completed his graduation, majoring in the English language and literature.

From that time Kistyakovsky also engaged in politics, entering the Political Prisoners Relief Fund. He experienced searches, threats and even beating.^[2] In June 1983 he was diagnosed with cancer and was hospitalized. Though he was refused to be treated in the Soviet Union, Kistyakovsky was buried at Dolgoprudnenskoye Cemetery.^[3]

Kistyakovsky's translation of the Darkness at Noon was favoured by its author Arthur Koestler.^[2] The translation was published in 1978 with Kistyakovsky's foreword.

In his last years Kistyakovsky succeeded in translation of The Fellowship of the Ring (as The Keepers ("Хранители"), after the nine holders of the Rings of Power)^[2] and of all verses there. In an interview Vladimir Muravyov testified: "Kistyakovsky was a brilliant translator, though it was hard for me to work with him... Generally he did not translate, but transpose".^[4] Kistyakovsky was praised particularly for "accurate Church Slavonicisms" and "ingenious translations of non-existent verses".^[5] The Kistyakovsky-Muravyov translation, which remained the sole Russian version until 1990, reached the second place in the poll on the best Russian translation of The Lord of the Rings, conducted by Russian fan site Tolkien.su.^[6]

Kistyakovsky's translations of William Faulkner, Robert Duncan, Charles Percy Snow, Flannery O'Connor and of some other authors were published in the former Soviet Union. He also translated Catch-22, as well as Amos Tutuola, Wole Soyinka and Seamus Heaney.

• Kistyakovsky-Muravyov translation of The Lord of the Rings

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The Lord of the Rings

• J. R. R. Tolkien

About

• Volumes
  • The Fellowship of the Ring
  • The Two Towers
  • The Return of the King
• Stories
  • "The Shadow of the Past"
  • "The Council of Elrond"
  • "The Scouring of the Shire"
  • "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen"
• Translating
  • List of translations
  • Russian
  • Swedish
• Reception
  • Literary
  • Fandom
    • Oxonmoot
    • Tolkienmoot
  • Works inspired
  • Tolkien's impact on fantasy

Analysis

Elements	Artwork Family trees Heraldry Languages Black Speech Elvish Quenya Sindarin Khuzdul Maps Poetry A Elbereth Gilthoniel Namárië Song of Eärendil The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late The Road Goes Ever On A Walking Song Proverbs
Themes	Addiction to power Ancestry as guide to character Architecture Christianity Death and immortality Decline and fall Economy England Environmentalism Forests Heroism Luck and fate Magic Mental illness Moral dilemma Music Naming of weapons Northern courage Paganism Plants Psychological journeys Quests Race Sexuality Sound and language Time Trees Women
Influences	Antiquarianism Beowulf Celtic Classical world First World War Norse Medieval Modern sources Modernism A mythology for England Philology Shakespeare
Techniques	Anachronism Character pairing Dreams and visions Editorial framing Frame stories Pseudotranslation Impression of depth Narrative structure Interlacing Storytelling Prose style Ambiguity Epic Pooh

Peoples

Maiar	Balrogs Sauron Wizards Gandalf Radagast Saruman
Free peoples	Dwarves Balin Gimli Elves Galadriel Glorfindel Half-elven Arwen Elrond Legolas Thranduil Ents Treebeard Hobbits Bilbo Frodo Merry Pippin Sam Men Beornings Drúedain Dúnedain Aragorn of Gondor Boromir Denethor Faramir of Rohan Éomer Éowyn Théoden Wormtongue
Monsters	Barrow-wight Gollum Nazgûl Witch-king of Angmar Old Man Willow Orcs Shelob Trolls Wargs Watcher in the Water
Other	Eagles Goldberry Tom Bombadil

World

Geography	Eriador Bree Old Forest Rivendell The Shire Bag End Gondor Harad Lothlórien Mirkwood Moria Mordor Rohan Isengard
Battles	Helm's Deep Pelennor Fields Morannon
Objects	Mithril Palantírs Phial of Galadriel Rings of Power One Ring List of weapons and armour

Related
works

• The Hobbit
• The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
  • Errantry
  • Fastitocalon
  • The Sea-Bell
• The Road Goes Ever On
• Bilbo's Last Song
• The Silmarillion
• Unfinished Tales
• The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
• The History of Middle-earth
• The Children of Húrin
• The History of The Hobbit
• Beren and Lúthien
• The Fall of Gondolin
• The Nature of Middle-earth

Adaptations and derivative works
Books	Bored of the Rings (1969) The Last Ringbearer (1999) Muddle Earth (2003)
Illustrations	A Map of Middle-earth Pauline Baynes Barbara Remington John Howe Alan Lee Margrethe II of Denmark Ted Nasmith
Theatre	Fellowship! (2005) Lord of the Rings (2006)
Music	Music Inspired by Lord of the Rings (1972) Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings (1988) Led Zeppelin "Ramble On" (1969) "Misty Mountain Hop" (1971) "The Battle of Evermore" (1971)
Radio	The Lord of the Rings (BBC, 1955) The Lord of the Rings (NPR, 1979) Hordes of the Things (1980) The Lord of the Rings (BBC, 1981) Der Herr der Ringe (1992)
Film	Animated The Lord of the Rings (Bakshi, 1978) The Return of the King (Rankin/Bass, 1980) The War of the Rohirrim (2024) Peter Jackson series The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) The Two Towers (2002) The Return of the King (2003) Music "Concerning Hobbits" "Into the West" "May It Be" Approach Production Peter Jackson's interpretation Picturing Tolkien Other Sagan om ringen (1971) Khraniteli (1991) Hobitit (1993) The Rings of Power (2022) music Fan-made The Hunt for Gollum (2009) Born of Hope (2009)
Video games	Journey to Rivendell Game One Game Two: Shadows of Mordor War in Middle Earth Vol. I (1990) Vol. I (SNES) Riders of Rohan Elendor Vol. II: The Two Towers The Fellowship of the Ring The Two Towers The Return of the King War of the Ring The Third Age Game Boy Advance The Battle for Middle-earth Tactics The Battle for Middle-earth II The Rise of the Witch-king Conquest Aragorn's Quest War in the North Lego The Lord of the Rings Guardians of Middle-earth Shadow of Mordor Shadow of War Gollum Return to Moria The Lord of the Rings Online Mines of Moria Siege of Mirkwood Rise of Isengard Riders of Rohan Helm's Deep Mordor Minas Morgul War of Three Peaks Fate of Gundabad Before the Shadow
Tabletop role- playing games	Middle-earth Role Playing The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game The One Ring Roleplaying Game Adventures in Middle-earth
Board games	Middle Earth War of the Ring Gondor: The Siege of Minas Tirith Sauron Lord of the Rings War of the Ring
Card games	Middle-earth Collectible Card Game The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
Other games	Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Lego The Lord of the Rings