SAMARKAND IN THE WORKS OF RUSSIAN WRITERS
Abstract
Samarkand, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, has long captivated the imagination of Russian writers. This article explores how Samarkand was portrayed in Russian literary works from the 19th to the 20th centuries. Through the writings of authors such as Sergey Yesenin, Konstantin Balmont, and Anna Akhmatova, Samarkand emerges not only as an exotic Oriental backdrop but also as a symbol of timelessness, cultural grandeur, and spiritual depth. The paper employs literary-historical and comparative analysis to uncover recurring motifs and ideological contexts, showing how the city became an essential metaphor in Russian Orientalism and poetic imagination. This article explores the depiction of Samarkand in the works of Russian writers, analyzing how the city has been portrayed as a symbol of exoticism, historical grandeur, and cultural crossroads. The study focuses on literary representations in travelogues, poetry, and prose, highlighting the influence of Samarkand’s rich heritage on Russian literature. Key authors discussed include Alexander Pushkin, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Nikolai Karamzin, among others.
References
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Yesenin, S. Collected Works in 3 Volumes. Vol. 2. — Moscow: Khudozhestvennaya Literatura, 1983. — 416 p.
Akhmatova, A. The Seventh Book: Late Poems and Notebooks. — St. Petersburg: Azbuka, 2001. — 288 p.
Khalid, A. The Politics of Muslim Cultural Reform: Jadidism in Central Asia. — Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999. — 329 p.
Tolz, V. Russia's Own Orient: The Politics of Identity and Oriental Studies in the Late Imperial and Early Soviet Periods. — Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. — 292 p.
