EASTERN MOTIFS IN RUSSIAN LITERATURE OF THE PUSHKIN ERA

Abstract

The article examines Eastern motifs in Russian literature of the Pushkin era and the reasons for their active spread in the literary process of the 19th century. Particular attention is paid to the historical, cultural, and aesthetic prerequisites for the interest of Russian writers in the East, especially the Caucasus. The author demonstrates that the development of Eastern themes was closely connected with the political events of that period, particularly the Caucasian War, as well as with the formation of Romanticism in Russian literature.

The paper analyzes the influence of Eastern culture, traditions, and imagery on the works of Russian writers of the first half of the 19th century. The role of the Caucasus as a symbol of freedom, mystery, and spiritual strength is emphasized, which found reflection in the works of A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, A.S. Griboyedov, and other authors. A central place in the article is devoted to the творчество of Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, his interest in the East, his journeys through the Caucasus and Crimea, as well as the representation of Eastern themes in his poetry and prose.

The author concludes that Eastern motifs became an important part of Russian literature of the Pushkin era, contributing to the expansion of writers’ artistic worldview and to the development of a deeper understanding of the culture and traditions of Eastern peoples.

Keywords

19th-century Russian literature, Eastern motifs, the Caucasus, Romanticism, A.S. Pushkin, the Caucasian War, Eastern culture, the Pushkin era.