Among unknown plains (Sense and meaning of the scene “A plain near Novgorod Seversky” in the tragedy “Boris Godunov” by A.S. Pushkin)

https://doi.org/10.20339/PhS.3-17.066

Kurkin Boris A.,

Doctor of Law, Professor

Modern Humanitarian Academy;

Expert of the Foundation for Humanitarian Studies of the Government of the Russian Federation,

Member of the Writers’ Union of Russia

e-mail: kurkinba@gmail.ru

The author analyses the role, sense and meaning of the scene “A plain near Novgorod Seversky” in the tragedy “Boris Godunov” by A.S. Pushkin. The author puts forward the idea that it is the key scene when describing the religious and political discord in the minds of the Russian people who were facing a catastrophic choice: a legitimate tzar — assassin, protector abd defender of Russia and the Orthodox religion or “the most legitimate” son of a tzar Dmitriy — the “real” Russian orthodox tzar who was leading to Russia regiments of foreigners belonging to a different faith. Both choices are perceived by the people as an awful sin, calamity.

As the article emphasizes, in the scene “A plain near Novgorod Seversky” Pushkin disclosed a fundamental role of the Russian orthodox tzar in the religious and political mind of the Russian people. The article says that by comparing the behaviour of foreign mercenaries and Russian warriors Pushkin depicted fundamental differences in the perception and outlook of Russian orthodox people and Western people belonging to a different faith.

Keywords: Orthodoxy, tzar, troubles, pretender.

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