Prayer Motifs and National Consciousness in Changing Conditions of Reception: As Exemplified by the Works of Ivan Shmelev and Boris Zaitsev
This article presents the role of selected motifs of prayer depicted in the works of first-wave Russian emigrants in the creation of a certain type of national mythology. The starting point of the considerations is a reflection on the status of emigrant literature at the time of its creation, during...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/3/267 |
| _version_ | 1797239507230130176 |
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| author | Monika Sidor |
| author_facet | Monika Sidor |
| author_sort | Monika Sidor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article presents the role of selected motifs of prayer depicted in the works of first-wave Russian emigrants in the creation of a certain type of national mythology. The starting point of the considerations is a reflection on the status of emigrant literature at the time of its creation, during the period of political changes in the Soviet bloc, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and today. From the beginning, émigré literature has served as a certain treasury of images and symbols, which are treated as necessary elements for maintaining the national identity of emigrants. The article presents selected motifs from the works of Ivan Shmelev’s <i>The Year of the Lord</i> and <i>Pilgrimage</i>, and Boris Zaitsev’s <i>Saint Sergius of Radonezh</i>, showing prayer as an element of ritual, as a collective request, and as an act of deep contact with God. The analysis of the selected examples shows that regardless of the literary form, narrative perspective, or the way the subject was presented, the writers showed prayer motifs in a patriotic context, while mythologizing pre-revolutionary Russia and bringing the idea of “Holy Rus” to life. In the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union, there has been an increased interest in emigrant literature, and the ideas contained therein have proven to be very important for the formation of the new national consciousness of Russians. Today, due to another political change in Russia and its political isolation, émigré literature is of renewed importance in Russian circles. The writers whose works are discussed in this study are regarded as the main Orthodox writers of the twentieth century, and the image of praying Russia is again the basis for building a new national identity. The study concludes with the observation that the value of emigrant literature should be studied in the context of the time of its creation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:52:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-416ebf0291dd4c139e3278cbd2c06221 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:52:38Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-416ebf0291dd4c139e3278cbd2c062212024-03-27T14:02:05ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442024-02-0115326710.3390/rel15030267Prayer Motifs and National Consciousness in Changing Conditions of Reception: As Exemplified by the Works of Ivan Shmelev and Boris ZaitsevMonika Sidor0Department of Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian Literature, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, PolandThis article presents the role of selected motifs of prayer depicted in the works of first-wave Russian emigrants in the creation of a certain type of national mythology. The starting point of the considerations is a reflection on the status of emigrant literature at the time of its creation, during the period of political changes in the Soviet bloc, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and today. From the beginning, émigré literature has served as a certain treasury of images and symbols, which are treated as necessary elements for maintaining the national identity of emigrants. The article presents selected motifs from the works of Ivan Shmelev’s <i>The Year of the Lord</i> and <i>Pilgrimage</i>, and Boris Zaitsev’s <i>Saint Sergius of Radonezh</i>, showing prayer as an element of ritual, as a collective request, and as an act of deep contact with God. The analysis of the selected examples shows that regardless of the literary form, narrative perspective, or the way the subject was presented, the writers showed prayer motifs in a patriotic context, while mythologizing pre-revolutionary Russia and bringing the idea of “Holy Rus” to life. In the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union, there has been an increased interest in emigrant literature, and the ideas contained therein have proven to be very important for the formation of the new national consciousness of Russians. Today, due to another political change in Russia and its political isolation, émigré literature is of renewed importance in Russian circles. The writers whose works are discussed in this study are regarded as the main Orthodox writers of the twentieth century, and the image of praying Russia is again the basis for building a new national identity. The study concludes with the observation that the value of emigrant literature should be studied in the context of the time of its creation.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/3/267prayerHoly RusRussian émigré literaturenational identity |
| spellingShingle | Monika Sidor Prayer Motifs and National Consciousness in Changing Conditions of Reception: As Exemplified by the Works of Ivan Shmelev and Boris Zaitsev Religions prayer Holy Rus Russian émigré literature national identity |
| title | Prayer Motifs and National Consciousness in Changing Conditions of Reception: As Exemplified by the Works of Ivan Shmelev and Boris Zaitsev |
| title_full | Prayer Motifs and National Consciousness in Changing Conditions of Reception: As Exemplified by the Works of Ivan Shmelev and Boris Zaitsev |
| title_fullStr | Prayer Motifs and National Consciousness in Changing Conditions of Reception: As Exemplified by the Works of Ivan Shmelev and Boris Zaitsev |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prayer Motifs and National Consciousness in Changing Conditions of Reception: As Exemplified by the Works of Ivan Shmelev and Boris Zaitsev |
| title_short | Prayer Motifs and National Consciousness in Changing Conditions of Reception: As Exemplified by the Works of Ivan Shmelev and Boris Zaitsev |
| title_sort | prayer motifs and national consciousness in changing conditions of reception as exemplified by the works of ivan shmelev and boris zaitsev |
| topic | prayer Holy Rus Russian émigré literature national identity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/3/267 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT monikasidor prayermotifsandnationalconsciousnessinchangingconditionsofreceptionasexemplifiedbytheworksofivanshmelevandboriszaitsev |