Alexander Arkhangelsky, who studies Pushkin’s work, reflects on patriarchy, individualism, and ideology in the poet’s writings. He is known as a prose writer, an essayist, and a documentary filmmaker, as well as the recipient of several awards. For almost two decades he hosted programs on the “Culture” channel, but now he has focused on literature. Arkhangelsky has been writing about Pushkin since his youth, but he does not consider himself a Pushkin scholar; his goal is to speak about Pushkin based on knowledge and feelings. In his book he raises sharp questions: how are the poems “To the Slanderers of Russia” connected with the concept of “self-sufficiency” (samostoyatel’nost’), how does patriarchy relate to individualism? What was Pushkin’s calling, and why did he turn to ideology?
The book is not a classic biography; it briefly covers the years in the Lyceum, exile, a dialogue with the Tsar, and unfulfilled hopes. Themes of happiness, faith, love, family, politics, money, and duels are examined.