Natasha's Dance (123 page)
Over the centuries the legend became mixed with other stories about towns and monaster
mets. But in the early eighteenth century the Old Believers wrote the legend down, and it was
mets. But in the early eighteenth century the Old Believers wrote the legend down, and it was
mets. But in the early eighteenth century the Old Believers wrote the legend down, and it was
20
Another of these Utopian beliefs, no less tenacious in the popular religious consci
Another of these Utopian beliefs, no less tenacious in the popular religious consci
Another of these Utopian beliefs, no less tenacious in the popular religious consci
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2
2
2
2
2
’I stopped at the Hermitage at Optina’, Gogol wrote to Count A. P. Tolstoy, ‘and took awa
’I stopped at the Hermitage at Optina’, Gogol wrote to Count A. P. Tolstoy, ‘and took awa
’I stopped at the Hermitage at Optina’, Gogol wrote to Count A. P. Tolstoy, ‘and took awa
23
Nikolai Gogol came from a devout family in the Ukraine. Both his parents were active in t
Nikolai Gogol came from a devout family in the Ukraine. Both his parents were active in t
Nikolai Gogol came from a devout family in the Ukraine. Both his parents were active in t
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[in my childhood] I looked at everything with an impartial eye; I went to church because I
[in my childhood] I looked at everything with an impartial eye; I went to church because I
[in my childhood] I looked at everything with an impartial eye; I went to church because I
23
Gogol never had religious doubts, as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky did. The torments of his fina
Gogol never had religious doubts, as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky did. The torments of his fina
Gogol never had religious doubts, as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky did. The torments of his fina
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Dead Souls,
Gogol’s fiction was the arena of this spiritual search. Contrary to the view of many schol
Gogol’s fiction was the arena of this spiritual search. Contrary to the view of many schol
Gogol’s fiction was the arena of this spiritual search. Contrary to the view of many schol
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The Government Inspector
parable but which the public look as a hilarious satire - Gogol sought
parable but which the public look as a hilarious satire - Gogol sought
parable but which the public look as a hilarious satire - Gogol sought
to drive his religious message home. The work to which he then devoted all his energies
to drive his religious message home. The work to which he then devoted all his energies
to drive his religious message home. The work to which he then devoted all his energies
Dead Souls -
Divine Comedy -
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Gogol’s divine vision was inspired by his champions, the Slavophiles, whose fantasy of
Gogol’s divine vision was inspired by his champions, the Slavophiles, whose fantasy of
Gogol’s divine vision was inspired by his champions, the Slavophiles, whose fantasy of
sobornost’
sobor’
The Slavophiles believed that the True Church was the Russian one. Unlike the Western chur
The Slavophiles believed that the True Church was the Russian one. Unlike the Western chur
The Slavophiles believed that the True Church was the Russian one. Unlike the Western chur
alliance with the Tsarist state. They espoused a social Church, some would say a socialis
alliance with the Tsarist state. They espoused a social Church, some would say a socialis
alliance with the Tsarist state. They espoused a social Church, some would say a socialis
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sobornost’
31
Here was the vision of the ‘Russian soul’ - of a universal spirit that would save the Chri
Here was the vision of the ‘Russian soul’ - of a universal spirit that would save the Chri
Here was the vision of the ‘Russian soul’ - of a universal spirit that would save the Chri
Dead Souls.
Russian Nights
12
and fraternity to the simple peasantry that had long been lost in the bourgeois culture o
and fraternity to the simple peasantry that had long been lost in the bourgeois culture o
and fraternity to the simple peasantry that had long been lost in the bourgeois culture o
One of our peasants has made a tincture which all the learning of Hippocrates and Galen fa
One of our peasants has made a tincture which all the learning of Hippocrates and Galen fa
One of our peasants has made a tincture which all the learning of Hippocrates and Galen fa
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After the triumph of 1812 the idea of the peasant’s soul, of his selfless virtue and self-sacr
After the triumph of 1812 the idea of the peasant’s soul, of his selfless virtue and self-sacr
After the triumph of 1812 the idea of the peasant’s soul, of his selfless virtue and self-sacr
Dead Souls.
The father loves his child, the mother loves her child, a child loves its mother and father.
The father loves his child, the mother loves her child, a child loves its mother and father.
The father loves his child, the mother loves her child, a child loves its mother and father.
some other part of you, it means to love with everything that God has given you.34
some other part of you, it means to love with everything that God has given you.34
some other part of you, it means to love with everything that God has given you.34
34
* Such claims were often made by Russian nationalists. In the 1900s, when a practical jok
* Such claims were often made by Russian nationalists. In the 1900s, when a practical jok
* Such claims were often made by Russian nationalists. In the 1900s, when a practical jok
Russia
The closer Gogol came to the Slavophiles, the more convinced he was that this Christian b
The closer Gogol came to the Slavophiles, the more convinced he was that this Christian b
The closer Gogol came to the Slavophiles, the more convinced he was that this Christian b
troika
Dead Souls:
Is it not like that that you, too, Russia, are speeding along like a spirited troika that not
Is it not like that that you, too, Russia, are speeding along like a spirited troika that not
Is it not like that that you, too, Russia, are speeding along like a spirited troika that not
troika
troika
35
The ‘Russian principle’ of Christian love, to be revealed by Gogol in the second and thir
The ‘Russian principle’ of Christian love, to be revealed by Gogol in the second and thir
The ‘Russian principle’ of Christian love, to be revealed by Gogol in the second and thir
‘in potentia
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The longer Gogol worked on his novel, the greater was his sense of a divine mission to re
The longer Gogol worked on his novel, the greater was his sense of a divine mission to re
The longer Gogol worked on his novel, the greater was his sense of a divine mission to re
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solution to Russia’s spiritual malaise. Once again it was the Slavophiles who pointed G
solution to Russia’s spiritual malaise. Once again it was the Slavophiles who pointed G
solution to Russia’s spiritual malaise. Once again it was the Slavophiles who pointed G
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Dead Souls was conceived as a work of religious instruction. Its written style is imbue
Dead Souls was conceived as a work of religious instruction. Its written style is imbue
Dead Souls was conceived as a work of religious instruction. Its written style is imbue
Dead Souls
Dead Souls).39
39
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Dead Souls.
Ask your worthy superior, ask all of the brotherhood, ask all of those who pray most ferven
Ask your worthy superior, ask all of the brotherhood, ask all of those who pray most ferven
Ask your worthy superior, ask all of the brotherhood, ask all of those who pray most ferven
41
The trouble was that Gogol could not picture this holy Russia, the realm of Christian brot
The trouble was that Gogol could not picture this holy Russia, the realm of Christian brot
The trouble was that Gogol could not picture this holy Russia, the realm of Christian brot
ideal picture of his Russian characters - an icon, if you like, of the Russian soul - Gog
ideal picture of his Russian characters - an icon, if you like, of the Russian soul - Gog
ideal picture of his Russian characters - an icon, if you like, of the Russian soul - Gog
42
Sensing he had failed in his fictional endeavour, Gogol sought instead to drive his mess
Sensing he had failed in his fictional endeavour, Gogol sought instead to drive his mess
Sensing he had failed in his fictional endeavour, Gogol sought instead to drive his mess
Selected Passages from Correspondence with Friends
Dead Souls.
Yes, I did love you, with all the passion a man tied by blood ties to his country can feel f
Yes, I did love you, with all the passion a man tied by blood ties to his country can feel f
Yes, I did love you, with all the passion a man tied by blood ties to his country can feel f
43
The Slavophiles, who were no less committed to reform, threw their hands up in despair. ‘M
The Slavophiles, who were no less committed to reform, threw their hands up in despair. ‘M
The Slavophiles, who were no less committed to reform, threw their hands up in despair. ‘M
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mentor at Optina, could not endorse Selected Passages. The elder thought that Gogol had
mentor at Optina, could not endorse Selected Passages. The elder thought that Gogol had
mentor at Optina, could not endorse Selected Passages. The elder thought that Gogol had
Selected Passages.
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3
3
3
3
3
In his letter to Gogol, Belinsky had acknowledged that the Russian peasant was full of pio
In his letter to Gogol, Belinsky had acknowledged that the Russian peasant was full of pio
In his letter to Gogol, Belinsky had acknowledged that the Russian peasant was full of pio
47
Doubts about the Christian nature of the peasant soul were by no means confined to the so
Doubts about the Christian nature of the peasant soul were by no means confined to the so
Doubts about the Christian nature of the peasant soul were by no means confined to the so
a maximum often can read the Creed and two or three short prayers (naturally, without the
a maximum often can read the Creed and two or three short prayers (naturally, without the
a maximum often can read the Creed and two or three short prayers (naturally, without the
one thousand men, at most two or three know the Ten Commandments; so far as the women are conce
one thousand men, at most two or three know the Ten Commandments; so far as the women are conce
one thousand men, at most two or three know the Ten Commandments; so far as the women are conce
48
For the parish priest it was an uphill task to lead his peasant flock towards a conscious k
For the parish priest it was an uphill task to lead his peasant flock towards a conscious k
For the parish priest it was an uphill task to lead his peasant flock towards a conscious k
In this precarious situation the priest was obliged to live on the constantly shifting
In this precarious situation the priest was obliged to live on the constantly shifting
In this precarious situation the priest was obliged to live on the constantly shifting
Believers, the Russian peasant had never been more than semi-attached in the Orthodox rel
Believers, the Russian peasant had never been more than semi-attached in the Orthodox rel
Believers, the Russian peasant had never been more than semi-attached in the Orthodox rel
constantly, pronounced the Lord’s name in every other sentence, always observed the Lente
constantly, pronounced the Lord’s name in every other sentence, always observed the Lente
constantly, pronounced the Lord’s name in every other sentence, always observed the Lente
My Universities
pictured God as a large, handsome old man, the kindly, clever master of the universe who cou
pictured God as a large, handsome old man, the kindly, clever master of the universe who cou
pictured God as a large, handsome old man, the kindly, clever master of the universe who cou
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This was the way the peasant thought of saints and natural gods as well: the two, in fact, wer
This was the way the peasant thought of saints and natural gods as well: the two, in fact, wer
This was the way the peasant thought of saints and natural gods as well: the two, in fact, wer
tianization of the pagan gods was also practised in the Russian Church itself. At the core o
tianization of the pagan gods was also practised in the Russian Church itself. At the core o
tianization of the pagan gods was also practised in the Russian Church itself. At the core o
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