Pushkin in the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv Concerning the Key Scene of Ivan Novikov’s Novel “Pushkin in the South”

Ivan Novikov’s biographical novel Pushkin in the South (1943–1944) presents a pivotal scene where Alexander Pushkin experiences a vision in Kyiv’s Saint-Sophia Cathedral, which Novikov suggests was inspired by Pushkin’s alleged 'secret love' and served as the foundation for his erotic narrative poem The Gavriiliad. This study reconstructs the ideological underpinnings of this scene, analyzing its sources within Novikov’s broader oeuvre, Russian Symbolism of the early 20th century, and contemporary debates on Pushkin. By dissecting the novel’s historical context and literary influences, the research sheds light on how biographical fiction intersects with cultural narratives, offering a nuanced interpretation of Pushkin’s creative process.

Vinitsky, I. (2024). PUSHKIN IN THE SAINT SOPHIA CATHEDRAL IN KYIV Concerning the Key Scene of Ivan Novikov’s Novel “Pushkin in the South”. Vremennik Pushkinskoi Komissii, 37, 152–180. https://doi.org/10.31860/0236-2481-2023-37-152-180