The Religious Element of the Myth of Napoleon in the Novel Crime and Punishment: The Image of “Napoleon-Prophet” and the Mystic Sects of Russian Schismatics, Worshippers of Napoleon
The article is dedicated to the presence of the Napoleonic myth in Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment (1866) through its religious aspect, namely the historical and cultural mergence of Napoleon and Mohammed and the worship of Napoleon among the mystic sects of Russian schismatics in the first...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Russian Academy of Sciences. A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Достоевский и мировая культура: Филологический журнал |
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| Online Access: | http://dostmirkult.ru/images/2022-2/04_Podosokorsky_89-143.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818468414398660608 |
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| author | Nikolay N. Podosokorsky |
| author_facet | Nikolay N. Podosokorsky |
| author_sort | Nikolay N. Podosokorsky |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article is dedicated to the presence of the Napoleonic myth in Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment (1866) through its religious aspect, namely the historical and cultural mergence of Napoleon and Mohammed and the worship of Napoleon among the mystic sects of Russian schismatics in the first half of the 19th century. The formation of a lasting perception of Napoleon Bonaparte as the new “prophet”, “Mohammed of the West” — which can be found in Stendhal, Alexandre Dumas, Honoré de Balzac, and others — is here traced, as well as the way Napoleon used religion and art for political aims during the Egyptian expedition and after. Particular attention is dedicated to Voltaire’s play Mahomet (1741) and its influence on Napoleon (and possibly on Dostoevsky) through theatre performances. Rodion Raskolnikov’s Napoleonic theory is explained through an immersion in the history of the wars between Russia and France and of the Russian sectarian movement, where in 1920s-1940s could be found more than one sect worshipping Napoleon. According to the reports of secret police agents, they tacitly gathered in Moscow and worshipped a bust of Napoleon the Emperor, believing that he was not dead but alive, and would soon appear to “command the righteous regiments to restore the shattered order”. Dostoevsky could use this original mystical phenomenon in his novel. It is no coincidence that one of the doubles-substitutes for the main character in Crime and Punishment is the schismatic Mikolka, who was born in the Ryazan province, where Raskolnikov’s mother and sister lived. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:11:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-193f0da8910f4e6184b4e080297e05f4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2619-0311 2712-8512 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:11:56Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Russian Academy of Sciences. A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Достоевский и мировая культура: Филологический журнал |
| spelling | doaj.art-193f0da8910f4e6184b4e080297e05f42022-12-22T02:29:48ZengRussian Academy of Sciences. A.M. Gorky Institute of World LiteratureДостоевский и мировая культура: Филологический журнал2619-03112712-85122022-05-012 (18)8914310.22455/2619-0311-2022-2-89-143The Religious Element of the Myth of Napoleon in the Novel Crime and Punishment: The Image of “Napoleon-Prophet” and the Mystic Sects of Russian Schismatics, Worshippers of NapoleonNikolay N. Podosokorsky0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6310-1579A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of SciencesThe article is dedicated to the presence of the Napoleonic myth in Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment (1866) through its religious aspect, namely the historical and cultural mergence of Napoleon and Mohammed and the worship of Napoleon among the mystic sects of Russian schismatics in the first half of the 19th century. The formation of a lasting perception of Napoleon Bonaparte as the new “prophet”, “Mohammed of the West” — which can be found in Stendhal, Alexandre Dumas, Honoré de Balzac, and others — is here traced, as well as the way Napoleon used religion and art for political aims during the Egyptian expedition and after. Particular attention is dedicated to Voltaire’s play Mahomet (1741) and its influence on Napoleon (and possibly on Dostoevsky) through theatre performances. Rodion Raskolnikov’s Napoleonic theory is explained through an immersion in the history of the wars between Russia and France and of the Russian sectarian movement, where in 1920s-1940s could be found more than one sect worshipping Napoleon. According to the reports of secret police agents, they tacitly gathered in Moscow and worshipped a bust of Napoleon the Emperor, believing that he was not dead but alive, and would soon appear to “command the righteous regiments to restore the shattered order”. Dostoevsky could use this original mystical phenomenon in his novel. It is no coincidence that one of the doubles-substitutes for the main character in Crime and Punishment is the schismatic Mikolka, who was born in the Ryazan province, where Raskolnikov’s mother and sister lived.http://dostmirkult.ru/images/2022-2/04_Podosokorsky_89-143.pdfcrime and punishmentnapoleonthe napoleonic mythmohammedvoltairesectsnapoleonitesrostopchinfreemasonswar of 1812napoleon’s egyptian campaign |
| spellingShingle | Nikolay N. Podosokorsky The Religious Element of the Myth of Napoleon in the Novel Crime and Punishment: The Image of “Napoleon-Prophet” and the Mystic Sects of Russian Schismatics, Worshippers of Napoleon Достоевский и мировая культура: Филологический журнал crime and punishment napoleon the napoleonic myth mohammed voltaire sects napoleonites rostopchin freemasons war of 1812 napoleon’s egyptian campaign |
| title | The Religious Element of the Myth of Napoleon in the Novel Crime and Punishment: The Image of “Napoleon-Prophet” and the Mystic Sects of Russian Schismatics, Worshippers of Napoleon |
| title_full | The Religious Element of the Myth of Napoleon in the Novel Crime and Punishment: The Image of “Napoleon-Prophet” and the Mystic Sects of Russian Schismatics, Worshippers of Napoleon |
| title_fullStr | The Religious Element of the Myth of Napoleon in the Novel Crime and Punishment: The Image of “Napoleon-Prophet” and the Mystic Sects of Russian Schismatics, Worshippers of Napoleon |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Religious Element of the Myth of Napoleon in the Novel Crime and Punishment: The Image of “Napoleon-Prophet” and the Mystic Sects of Russian Schismatics, Worshippers of Napoleon |
| title_short | The Religious Element of the Myth of Napoleon in the Novel Crime and Punishment: The Image of “Napoleon-Prophet” and the Mystic Sects of Russian Schismatics, Worshippers of Napoleon |
| title_sort | religious element of the myth of napoleon in the novel crime and punishment the image of napoleon prophet and the mystic sects of russian schismatics worshippers of napoleon |
| topic | crime and punishment napoleon the napoleonic myth mohammed voltaire sects napoleonites rostopchin freemasons war of 1812 napoleon’s egyptian campaign |
| url | http://dostmirkult.ru/images/2022-2/04_Podosokorsky_89-143.pdf |
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