Author Archives: Liam McNett

A New Russia: St. Petersburg and the West

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The introduction of Pushkin’s The Bronze Horseman serves as a powerful account of the reawakening of Russian culture and greatness.  After centuries of isolation at the hand of the Mongols and a time of instability throughout the Time of Troubles, Russia is ready to embark on a process of modernization.  

The city of St. Petersburg and the reforms of Peter the Great serve as tangible examples of the new Russia that is beginning to emerge.  St. Petersburg “shall break a window to the west” and “outsh[i]ne old Moscow”. Furthermore, the language Pushkin uses paints an idealized portrait of St. Petersburg–a portrait consisting of rivers, gardens, love, and greatness.  Additionally, Pushkin remarks that the city will be built in “defiance of the haughty neighbor” and stretch from “the four corners of the world” signaling an international outlook not seen since ancient Kievan Rus. The Bronze Horseman, in a sense, articulates a renaissance of sorts in Russia at the hands of Peter of Great.  

However, the city is later destroyed by a flood, and Evengii is eventually left surrounded by nothing but water–and the bronze statue of Peter the Great looking down on him. This image, to me, was a powerful one that paints Peter in an almost god-like, transcendent nature.  The flood in particular reminds me of the biblical story of Noah’s ark, with the world destroyed by a flood with God looking down upon it. I’m not sure if those to images are supposed to be related, but it was a similarity that fascinated me nonetheless. I was particularly intrigued and somewhat confused by the statue coming to life and would like to discuss its significance in class.  

The Bronze Horseman articulates Russia’s new role in the world, signaling a nation eager to emerge from its centuries of isolation as well as little social and cultural progress relative to the West.

Appearance vs. Reality

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The Tsar’s Bride is, on its surface, abuddently beautiful.  The scenery, the actors, and, above all, the music result in an opera that exposes the audience to the beauty of Russian culture.  In addition, the recurring theme of love is dominant throughout the opera and is amplified by the romantic nature of the music.

However, once breaking through the facade of beauty, a darker reality reveals itself.  The opera takes place during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, a figure known for his oppression as well as manic tendencies.  Despite the aura of love present, a deeper examination reveals an overpowering sense of rage and jealousy that consumes the main characters and ultimately destroyesthem.  Additionally, Ivan, despite his historical significance, is hardly present in the opera. Rather, it is up to the audience to be aware of the reality of his rule.  A further discussion about the significance (or lack thereof) of Ivan in the opera could be interesting. 

As seen in the film we watched last class, Ivan the Terrible, Soviet-era films made about this time period tend to hide the reality of Ivan’s legacy.  They are used as an opportunity to showcase a unified Russia and its culture.  Additionally, in both films, there is an absence of religion, despite the fact that we are aware Russia was very much Christian at this point in time. Although I’m sure we will discuss this more in length later in the semester, I am fascinated in how the Soviet government impacted films such as these as well as Russian culture generally.   What was life actually like in this time period? Are these films valid glimpses into this time period? Is it full on propaganda, or somewhere in between?

Christianity in “Tale of the Destruction of Riazan”

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Nearly three centuries after the Christianization of Kievan Rus, the manner in which Christianity has become a defining characteristic of  Kievan Rus is revealed through central role it plays in the “Tale of the Destruction of Ryazan”. At the beginning of the text, the Mongol emperor is described as “godless” and “merciless”, suggesting that the tale would be told through a religious lens (199).  I was intrigued by the use of this type of language, in particular because I had been looking at the Mongol invasion in terms of politics, not religion. However, as the tale continued, the way in which the Kievan Rus citizens are described are also grounded in religious terms. Russian land is frequently described as “Christian land”, blood is described as “Christian blood”, and Russians don’t just survive, they are “preserved by God”.   The religiously-charged phrases in which the Mongols and Russians are described seeks to separate the two parties in regards to more than just political interests, but in terms of morality as well. In doing so, the author illustrates a fight that goes beyond just Russians  vs. the Mongols, but one of good vs. evil.  

Furthermore, while I may be over-reading, there are several instances in which the Russians are described in Christ-like terms, particularly regarding resurrection.  For instance, when the Russians fought back, the Tartars thought they had “risen from the dead”. Additionally the “Christian blood” that is shed is described “flow[ing] like a river”.  As water is a common symbol of rebirth, it could indicate the possibility of a resurrection of Russia (which, as we know, occurred). Finally, the tale ends with a group of Russians “with the help of God’s strong hand” surviving, further indicating an eventual rebirth with the help of God.

In general, I found the central role of Christianity in the story fascinating not only for the reasons explored above, but because of the fact (that at least in my educational experience), this story is often left out of discussions the “Holy War” period.  Was the invasion one surrounding religion? Or is this just an example of religious language entering Russian literature? Whichever the case, this tale is reveals that Christianity was a central aspect of Kievan Rus identity.