Representation of Russia in Autobiographical Prose about Childhood by A.N. Tolstoy and I.S. Shmelev

Abstract

This study examines the uniqueness of representing the image of Russia as an integral part of the artistic worldview in the autobiographical prose about childhood by first-wave Russian emigrant writers. The research is based on A.N. Tolstoy’s novella “Nikita’s Childhood” and I.S. Shmelev’s novel “The Lord’s Summer.” Comparative-historical, historical-literary methods, as well as the principle of comprehensive analysis of the ideological and artistic content of the texts, are employed. It is established that the image of Russia encompasses representations of the Russian people, nature, history, and generations. Time takes on mythological features, with historical and epic time shaping the narrative movement. The spatial dynamics are constructed as a contrast between city and village, where nature is animated and spiritualized. The concept of home emerges as a significant spatial parameter. In the novel “The Lord’s Summer,” it is intricately linked with the image of the church and sacralized. The central spiritual component of the world is embodied in the living image of Christ. The image of Russia is intertwined with themes of loss, with Moscow symbolized as the heart of the Motherland — Holy Rus’. Childhood and Russia are idealized, imbued with idyllic characteristics, while the image of a bygone era carries a nostalgic hue.