RUSSIAN DRAMA DURING THE CRIMEAN WAR OF 1853–1856

Abstract

The Crimean War of 1853–1856 became a real challenge for Russian society and was reflected in the culture and art of
 that time, including drama. Already during the war, plays dedicated to this historical event were being created and staged in
 theatres. This article analyses four plays – “For the Faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland” by Pyotr Grigor’yev, “The Veteran and
 the Recruit” by Aleksey Pisemsky, “The Feat of the Mother” by Orest Miller, “The Russians in 1854” by Adelaida Tal’tseva.
 The general ideological message of those dramatic works included patriotism, glorification of the greatness of the Fatherland
 and the strength of the Russian people, the Orthodox faith, in connection with which the plays created the image of a
 Russian soldier for whom participation in the war is a matter of honour and faith. The study establishes the correspondence
 of dramatic works of the period of the Crimean War of 1853–1856 to the requirements of the time, their close connection
 with the historical context of the era, as well as an orientation towards ease of perception by the audience. The author of
 the article defines the general features of patriotic plays of the Crimean War period at the plot and ideological level.