"Christian Socialism": The Fate of Russia in M.M. Prishvin’s Novel "Osudareva Doroga" (“Tsar’s Road”)

Abstract

The article discusses the idea of "Christian socialism" in Mikhail Prishvin’s late novel "Osudareva doroga" (“Tsar’s road”). The key concept of the novel is analyzed via the image of the "all-powerful" supervisor, Sutulov. The character’s fate is purposeful, following a certain way to implement the planned governmental project, the construction of the White Sea-Baltic Canal (Belomorkanal - known as the Tsar’s road). One of the central motifs of the novel, the motive of power, is expressed through the language of spatial relations. The power of one individual over another’s destiny is shown through the spatial opposition "top-bottom". A myth-poetic analysis of Sutulov’s image in the aspect of the central philosophical category of the novel, a dialectical opposition "would like to - have to" (personality and society), allows for the explicit "Christian socialism" phenomenon in the novel, which is a specific synthesis of "ethical" communism and Christian orthodoxy. In Prishvin’s narration, Sutulov’s image is associated with the mercilessness of the historical period, bringing both inevitable changes and the hope for a bright future for Russia. Considering the phenomenon of "Christian socialism" through the example of Sutulov’s image, we found that Prishvin represents his special project in this novel. It is the project of the creation of the higher organization society type, the "social sobornost (unity, conciliarity, collegiality)". "Tsar’s road" is a novel of "reconciliation", showing the way out of this difficult historical period that brings in the spirit of Christianity; it is an attempt to eliminate the dreadful warp towards spiritual poverty against the background of universal equality.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s4p202