The Nationalization of Patriotism in Russian Literature during the Crimean War: Institutions, Everyday Nationalism, and Images of Peasants

Abstract This article explores the issue of Russian imperial nationalism in early phase its formation, namely nationalization patriotism literature during Crimean War, 1853–56. Using historical studies and theories nationalism, author shows how why an acute discourse a nationalistic experience community uniting elite with common people arose St. Petersburg society, theater, literature. Drawing on many published archival materials, describes institutions escalating (thick journals, newspapers, Maritime Ministry, salons, circles), everyday rituals (wearing “Russian” clothes), images peasants, who fiction Aleksei Potekhin, Pisemskii, Ivan Gorbunov, Turgenev, Dmitrii Grigorovich acted as bearers authentic “Russianness.” The growing popularity these writers’ texts can be explained by fact that they demonstratively linked psychology subjectivity peasant characters their ethnic identity. Contrary to official propaganda portrayed peasants loyal tsar, faith, Fatherland, new representation satisfied demand socially diverse theater audience for unity within single national compensated disappointment defeats at front.