The Imperial Frontier in the Worldview of the Decembrists: F. N. Glinka—Romantic Christianity and Karelian Ethnography

Abstract

The article delves into reconstructing the religious-philosophical worldview of the Decembrist Fyodor Nikolaevich Glinka, set against the backdrop of his frontier experiences during his exile in the Olonets province. His poems, “The Maiden of the Karelian Forests” and “Karelia, or the Captivity of Marfa Ivanovna Romanova,” created during his residency in Petrozavodsk, are compelling blends of the era’s literary trends, Glinka’s personal religious beliefs, and ethnographic portrayals of Karelia. Consequently, the Karelian frontier is viewed through the diverse prism of F. N. Glinka, a Russian officer, Decembrist, poet, and religious thinker, who bequeathed an extensive literary oeuvre. This research is aimed to undertake an exhaustive analysis of F. N. Glinka’s literary contributions as a Decembrist and to historically and philosophically interpret his worldview, particularly focusing on frontier themes. The study meticulously perused Glinka’s artistic pieces, ethnographic entries, religious-philosophical writings, and his epistolary body of work. Insights were gleaned on the various dimensions of his perspectives and artistic endeavors. This article may captivate those researching the history of the Karelian frontier, the artistic and philosophical imprints of the Decembrists, and scholars intrigued by the nuances of Russian public discourse in the 19th century.

Keywords

• decembrists
• empire
• civilization
• karelia
• romanticism
• historiosophy
• christianity
• f. n. glinka
• poetry
• intercultural interaction