Pushkin's Turn to Folklore

The present paper seeks to establish precisely what Pushkin knew about folklore, when he knew it, and how he made use of it in his work. By basing the discussion on textual evidence, the author attempts to correct misconceptions that have been repeated so frequently that few have questioned them. Central among these is the role of the Pushkin family's nanny Arina Rodionovna, who is commonly viewed as the essential figure in Pushkin's relationship to folk culture. Particular emphasis is placed on Pushkin's debt to Alexander Vostokov and the development of the poetic form that he called the "Russian meter" (now known as the taktovik). Pushkin's interactions with the "folk poet" Fedor Slepushkin are also investigated. The conclusions concern not only specific folkloric works ("Songs of the Western Slavs," fairy tales), but also such canonic texts as Eugene Onegin.