Rereading Nikolai Gogol’s Taras Bulba at the Time of the Ukraine War and its Impacts on Russian People

  • 21 January 2023 - 14:52
Rereading Nikolai Gogol’s Taras Bulba at the Time of the Ukraine War and its Impacts on Russian People
Although Taras Bulba has been recognized as the symbol of Russian patriotism, this novel contains levels of meaning beyond the mere praise of Russian ethnicity. Otherwise, it would be an unknown story rather than a classic in world literature.

Interpretation of Taras Bulba

Since the beginning of the Ukraine War, experts have tried to find historical, sociological, and identity concepts across Russian literature to explain current dynamics between neighbors with the same history. For this purpose, Nicolai Gogol’s Taras Bulba may be one of the most eminent.

Taras Bulba, a Cossack from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, is disgruntled by the governance of Catholic Poles on the Western lands of the Dnieper and the peace treaty with the Turkish Sultan over Russian lands. He ignites a ruinous war with the offenders and shows excellent bravery in battles. Taras Bulba does whatever it takes to wreak vengeance on invaders and even kills his traitorous son. In the end, captured by the enemy and burning alive in the fire, he shouts that an invincible Tsar would come who takes revenge on the Russian people and protects Russian land and Orthodox Christianity from any encroachment.

Although Taras Bulba has been recognized as the symbol of Russian patriotism, this novel contains levels of meaning beyond the mere praise of Russian ethnicity. Otherwise, it would be an unknown story rather than a classic in world literature. Taras Bulba is the story of the bravery and deep love of the Russian people for their motherland and religion. However, the difference between the values of the story’s main character and the author’s 19th-century standards is beyond evaluation.

Taras Bulba is a brave warrior: he is free but lonesome. He does not have a meaningful relationship with his wife and children other than serving his motherland. The sole compass for his manners is his primitive instincts and patriotism. His manners and lifestyle are the same as the nomads of Central Asia. Sensing any insult to the Russian land, he throws into an uproar and causes bloodshed. However, his behaviors are not compatible with Christian principles. Rather than a moral compass, Orthodox Christianity is more an element of distinction between him, Catholic Poles, and Muslim Turks. The only sacred subject for him is Russia. Whoever, even his son, betrays Russia under any pretext will become the enemy before him.

Taras Bulba is a barbaric figure whose single concern is to worship his idle (Russia) and protect it. He knows nothing about arts or literature. He never constructed anything in his life, nor did he accumulate knowledge. He is a stubborn agitator whose profession is warmongering and fighting. It is worth asking whether a literary giant such as Gogol in the 19th century wrote a novel praising Russian people and portraying their virtues in Taras Bulba, whose only craft is fighting. Finding Taras Bulba, a perfect hero of modern literature, is challenging. Although he seems more of an antagonistic figure to modern readers, no one can blame him for not becoming a more sophisticated character. He is the creature of the era and geography he has lived. Standard interpretations of Gogol’s masterwork view Taras Bulba as a symbol of the Slavic people, a strong and fearless race that can descend into savagery if it goes astray.

Born and grew up in Ukraine, Gogol would also become one of Taras Bulba’s colleagues if he had been born in the 16th century (before Peter the Great’s reforms). Gogol had the same violent manners and bloodthirsty character, learned nothing of literature and poetry, and his way of living was drinking and fighting. How can Gogol envy the life of illiterate and boorish Taras Bulba, whose motherland may be encroached upon by any invader? Or does Gogol feel fortunate that instead of being born in the 16th century as an unruly Cossack preoccupied with the motherland’s pains, he is a novelist living in peace under an invincible Tzar? If so, the author of Dead Souls articulates a tribute to the rulers who took gigantic steps to transform Russia from a wasteland of desertersinto a rival of the enlightenment era Europe.

The aims and accomplishments of the reforms adopted by past Russian rulers have, far beyond simply guaranteeing security, be the approximation of Russian culture and civilization to the West. Therefore, part and parcel of modern Russian identity are defined by the constant reaction to the West. From the viewpoint of Russian commentators of the 19thcentury, what enabled Russia to encounter Napoleon, become Europe’s peacekeeper, and emerge as a global power, lies in its communication with western philosophy, literature, and science rather than stagnating among the hot-tempered Zaporizhian horse riders. In this way, a fundamental duty of the invincible Tzar, the protector of the Russian totality, would be to maintain relationships with the West. The quality of this relationship has been a primary concern of Russian rulers and intellectuals who have regularly altered positions between love and hate about the West, thus falling short of disregarding it. Russian rulers have proceeded so much to westernize the country totally or, as during the Soviet Union, bitterly demarcate between Russia and the West and obstinately threaten the other side of the wall. This history has made the relationship with the West a sensitive issue in the minds of the Russian people.

Ukraine War and its consequences on Russian people

After a period of relative stability in Russo-Western relations, Russia is confronting the West in Ukraine, which raises the question: what would Russia be if detached from the West? Will it become a dreadful and unstoppable force such as Taras Bulba, who will not have any desire other than warmongering and punishing the foes who dare to threaten his motherland? This theory has a long history among many elite and Russian people. Accordingly, Ukraine, which is keeping close relations with the West, stands on the right side of history, and Russia, confronting the West, is headed toward misery.

Hence due to undeniable political and geopolitical obligations, Kremlin has to abandon relations with the West; To avoid international isolation, it also pursues stronger ties with China, an emerging power that Russia viewed as a disobedient subordinate during the Cold War. Meanwhile, the public and even some Russian elites will not be pleased, not to mention that the current war will escalate the risk of conflict with the Western forces in Ukraine.

In this context, the unprecedented economic sanctions following the Ukraine war are putting formidable economic pressure on the Russian public more than ever. If Russian state fails to convince the Russian people that it is still an actor with extensive relations in the global arena, and more importantly if it fails to thrive in the Russian economy and reduce the effect of sanctions, the possibility of social unrest in Russia will increase. This condition manifests in frustration through rebellion and chaos if an opportunity arises. The continuation of the Ukraine war will not address any of these issues. It will further isolate Russia in the international community, increase the likelihood of direr Western responses and more sanctions, and impose higher financial and military costs on Russia.

Fueled by the Ukraine war, the loss of popular support will soon be a significant problem for the rulers of the Kremlin. According to the interpretation of Gogol’s novel presented in this article, Russians will not love the tsar only because of fighting with the enemy and conquering him. In their opinion, a good tsar is a stateman who can establish stable and respectful relations with the West despite all the difficulties, which will benefit Russia.

  • writer: pouria hamouni

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