A Nation Astray: Nomadism and National Identity in Russian Literature

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A Nation Astray This Page intentionally left blank A Nation Astray Nomadism and National Identity in Russian Literature Ingrid Kleespies N I U P R e s s / DeKalb, IL © 2012 by Northern Illinois University Press Published by the Northern Illinois University Press, DeKalb, Illinois 60115 Manufactured in the United states using acid-free paper All Rights Reserved Design by shaun Allshouse Library of Congress Cataloging-in Publication Data Kleespies, Ingrid. A nation astray : nomadism and national identity in Russian literature / Ingrid Kleespies. pages ; cm Includes bibliographical references and index. IsBN 978-0-87580-461-3 (cloth) — IsBN (invalid) 978-1-60909-076-0 (electronic) 1. Russian literature—19th century—History and criticism. 2. Nomads in literature. 3. Travelers in literature. 4. National characteristics, Russian, in literature. 5. Karamzin, Nikolai Mikhailovich, 1766–1826. Pis’ma russkogo puteshestvennika. 6. Dostoyevsky, Fyodor, 1821– 1881. Zimnie zametki o letnikh vpechatleniiakh. 7. Chaadaev, P. IA. (Petr IAkovlevich), 1794–1856. Lettres philosophiques. 8. Goncharov, Ivan Aleksandrovich, 1812–1891— Criticism and interpretation. 9. Pushkin, Aleksandr sergeevich, 1799–1837—Criticism and interpretation. 10. Herzen, Aleksandr, 1812–1870—Criticism and interpretation. I. Title. PG3015.5.N66K54 2012 891.709’3526918—dc23 2012030637 The glamour of youth enveloped his parti-coloured rags, his destitution, his loneliness, the essential desolation of his futile wanderings. For months—for years—his life hadn’t been worth a day’s purchase—and there he was, gallantly, thoughtlessly alive, to all appearance indestructible solely by the virtue of his few years and of his unreflecting audacity. —Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness This Page intentionally left blank ...