Искусство и религия в повести Запечатленный ангел Н. С. Лескова
Art and religion in the story Zapeěatlěnnyj angelby N.S. Leskov

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of the article is to analyse the unusual, colourful world of Leskov’s novel taking the presence and influence of the various subcultural circles in 19th century Russia into consideration. In comparison with the main stream of the Russian literature, the work of Leskov shows many interesting non-typical elements. One of these is his deep interest in the Apocrypha and legends inherited from the Russian medieval culture. The other is his enthusiasm about Russian icon painting, and its weaving into the plots of his novels, among these into the Zapeěatlěnnyj angel. What is followed in this paper is the penetration of certain motifs into the inner structure of the novel: concrete and symbolic meaning of the icon of Archangel Mikhael. The author of this paper tries to find answers to such questions as Leskov’s position concerning the schismatic groups (raskolniki) and the official Russian Church: why had to convert the morally and culturally higher raskolniki to the majority religion (to the bolshinstvo)? Why does a differentiated society seem to be dangerous for Russian thought?

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