Prince Serebrenni
Encyclopedia
Prince Serebrenni is a historical novel by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy
, written in 1859-1861 and first published by the Russky vestnik magazine in 1862
(##8-10, August-October issues). Translated by Princess Galitzine for Chapmann & Hall, it came out in English in 1874.
Prince Serebrenni (also known as The Silver Knight, according to the alternative translation), a novel about 16th-century Russia, inspired by the works of Sir Walter Scott and the German Romantics, has become a popular book for adolescence in Russia. Acknowledging its limits as a historical document, critics invariably praised the way it "imbued the readership with the ideas of justice, honesty, nobleness and human dignity".
stvo, a community of high-ranked aristocrats who opposed the Tsar and his tyranny. Several of his poems and ballads, notably, Vasily Shibanov and Knyaz Mikhailo Repnin, were investigating this historical dilemma. It was the death of Nikolai I, though, and the emergence of the new atmosphere of openness that prompted Tolstoy to set upon working on the novel about the disaster the absolute monarchy might bring.
From 1859 to 1861 Tolstoy worked very hard on it. On March 21, 1861, he informed his friend and a major correspondent Boleslav Markevich
that the novel was virtually finished. Prince Serebrenni was premiered at a recital party in the Palace in late December 1861. The readings which lasted several days were highly successful and brought the author a book-trinket from Empress consort Maria Aleksandrovna as a personal gift.
Aleksey Tolstoy himself was a scholar in the history of the Old Russia's folklore; this enabled him, according to scholar V.Kuleshov, to create totally plausible panorama of the 16th century Russian life. Critics praised Tolstoy's novel language, a complicated, composite thing, on the one hand, built up according to archaic linguistic structures, on the other, laconic and comprehensible. The author was much worried by future editors' ways of treating his colourful stylings and implored them never to change, say, 'bogatchestvo' into 'bogatstvo' (riches, in Russian) or 'petchalovatsa' into 'petchalitsa' (to mourn or be sad). Being well aware of his novel's shortcomings from any a professional historian's point of view, Tolstoy subtitled it: "A Tale of the Terrible times", again much in the folklore vein.
Khomyak’s gang. There and then the Prince learns that bloodshed and lawlessness here were inspired by Tsar Ioann's new policies, known as oprichnina. Another plotline involves Yelena Morozova, the wife of Medvedevka landlord whom the Prince helped out; she turns out to be his own loved one of the old times, who had to marry the old man in order to thwart another vile oprichnik, Vyazemsky, with his unwanted passes. Further on his way, Serebrenni helps out the outlaw named Persten (the latter would repay the Prince later by leading him out of Grozny’s jail) and encounters the terrible Tsar himself. Appalled by Godunov
's cynicism (who suggests that the two should join forces in the anti-Grozny alliance) and torn apart between his righteous hatred towards the Tsar with his corrupt oprichnicks, and his own oath of allegiance, Serebrenni, all kinds of adventures behind, chooses to go to war, to fight for his country (not its amoral ruler), and die the death of a noble man.
Critics noted, though, that Tolstoy was personally too appalled by the deeds of Tsar Ioann to give him credit for any achievements, social, political and geopolitical, of which there were some. On the other hand, boyar
s come in the novel as too virtuous for their own good, being portrayed by the author as promoters of high moral values.
Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy
Count Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy, often referred to as A. K. Tolstoy , was a Russian poet, novelist and playwright, considered to be the most important nineteenth-century Russian historical dramatist...
, written in 1859-1861 and first published by the Russky vestnik magazine in 1862
1862 in literature
The year 1862 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:*February - Ambrose Bierce joins the staff of General William Badcock Hazen....
(##8-10, August-October issues). Translated by Princess Galitzine for Chapmann & Hall, it came out in English in 1874.
Prince Serebrenni (also known as The Silver Knight, according to the alternative translation), a novel about 16th-century Russia, inspired by the works of Sir Walter Scott and the German Romantics, has become a popular book for adolescence in Russia. Acknowledging its limits as a historical document, critics invariably praised the way it "imbued the readership with the ideas of justice, honesty, nobleness and human dignity".
Background
Aleksey Tolstoy started working on Prince Serebrenni in the late 1840s. For years he's been intrigued by the theme which became the book's leitmotif: that of a struggle between Ivan the Terrible, the most cruel of all Russian monarchs, and boyarBoyar
A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....
stvo, a community of high-ranked aristocrats who opposed the Tsar and his tyranny. Several of his poems and ballads, notably, Vasily Shibanov and Knyaz Mikhailo Repnin, were investigating this historical dilemma. It was the death of Nikolai I, though, and the emergence of the new atmosphere of openness that prompted Tolstoy to set upon working on the novel about the disaster the absolute monarchy might bring.
From 1859 to 1861 Tolstoy worked very hard on it. On March 21, 1861, he informed his friend and a major correspondent Boleslav Markevich
Boleslav Markevich
Boleslav Mikhailovich Markevich 1884, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian writer, essayist, journalist, and literary critic of Polish origin; author of a number of popular novels, including: Marina of the Aluy Rog , A Quarter of a Century Ago , The Turning Point and The Void .-Biography:Boleslav...
that the novel was virtually finished. Prince Serebrenni was premiered at a recital party in the Palace in late December 1861. The readings which lasted several days were highly successful and brought the author a book-trinket from Empress consort Maria Aleksandrovna as a personal gift.
Sources
Prince Serebrenni was the first example in the Russian literature of a historical novel written in the West European tradition. Much in the vein of Sir Walter Scott and Alexander Dumas' classics, a fictitious character here acts among real historical figures in a thoroughly researched and artfully recreated historical context. The major source for Tolstoy was History of the Russian State by Nikolay Karamzin. It was important for the author to reconstruct Old Russia's real live with its people's language, way of life, customs and habits. Of great use for him were The Russian Tales, Songs of the Russians and Russian traditional Fairytales, Ivan Sakharov's works, popular at the time. Among other sources he used were Kaliki Perekhozhye (in Old Russian: Blind minstrels) by Pyotr Bessonov, Spiritual Poems by Viktor Varentsov and The Everyday Life of the Russians by Aleksander Tereschenko.Aleksey Tolstoy himself was a scholar in the history of the Old Russia's folklore; this enabled him, according to scholar V.Kuleshov, to create totally plausible panorama of the 16th century Russian life. Critics praised Tolstoy's novel language, a complicated, composite thing, on the one hand, built up according to archaic linguistic structures, on the other, laconic and comprehensible. The author was much worried by future editors' ways of treating his colourful stylings and implored them never to change, say, 'bogatchestvo' into 'bogatstvo' (riches, in Russian) or 'petchalovatsa' into 'petchalitsa' (to mourn or be sad). Being well aware of his novel's shortcomings from any a professional historian's point of view, Tolstoy subtitled it: "A Tale of the Terrible times", again much in the folklore vein.
Synopsis
Knyaz (Prince) Nikita Serebryanni is on his way to Moscow. In Medvedevka village his small armed unit of servants clashes with the oprichnikOprichnina
The oprichnina is the period of Russian history between Tsar Ivan the Terrible's 1565 initiation and his 1572 disbanding of a domestic policy of secret police, mass repressions, public executions, and confiscation of land from Russian aristocrats...
Khomyak’s gang. There and then the Prince learns that bloodshed and lawlessness here were inspired by Tsar Ioann's new policies, known as oprichnina. Another plotline involves Yelena Morozova, the wife of Medvedevka landlord whom the Prince helped out; she turns out to be his own loved one of the old times, who had to marry the old man in order to thwart another vile oprichnik, Vyazemsky, with his unwanted passes. Further on his way, Serebrenni helps out the outlaw named Persten (the latter would repay the Prince later by leading him out of Grozny’s jail) and encounters the terrible Tsar himself. Appalled by Godunov
Boris Godunov
Boris Fyodorovich Godunov was de facto regent of Russia from c. 1585 to 1598 and then the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. The end of his reign saw Russia descend into the Time of Troubles.-Early years:...
's cynicism (who suggests that the two should join forces in the anti-Grozny alliance) and torn apart between his righteous hatred towards the Tsar with his corrupt oprichnicks, and his own oath of allegiance, Serebrenni, all kinds of adventures behind, chooses to go to war, to fight for his country (not its amoral ruler), and die the death of a noble man.
Reception
According to a Soviet scholar V.Kuleshov, one notable quality of Aleksey Tolstoy's novel is its artful and concise construction with an elaborate plot, masterfully built and developing dramatically, a host on intrigues intertwining. Each episode reads as a rounded-up piece, fitting neatly into the general scheme. It was this all-embracing net of logic that creates the feel of inevitability of things to come and makes one ponder on fragility and illusory nature of man's life in a troubled world, argued the critic. Aleksey Tolstoy's weaknesses show when it comes to romantic scenes and characters begin to act in melodramatic fashion. What he excels at is dialogues where, according to Kuleshov, his gift of a dramatist becomes obvious.Ivan the Terrible character
Tolstoy is credited for being the first Russian author to make an attempt to recreate Tsar Ioann IV's character in all of its complexity. He portrays the Tsar as a man driven apart by violent extremes, highly intelligent, yet pathologically sadistic, theatrical in behavior (tinged with morbid sense of humour) and ingenious in his intrigues, the man who one minute may seem full of remorse, the other plunges himself into a bout of demonic rage. Before Tolstoy Tsar Ioann was mostly idealized as a builder of "the new Russia", both writers and historians highlighting his victories and rarely focusing on darker sides of his rule.Critics noted, though, that Tolstoy was personally too appalled by the deeds of Tsar Ioann to give him credit for any achievements, social, political and geopolitical, of which there were some. On the other hand, boyar
Boyar
A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....
s come in the novel as too virtuous for their own good, being portrayed by the author as promoters of high moral values.