19th+Century+Russia,+part+Duex

Patrick Ziesmer, Isaiah Bergstromhttp: //[|www.pbs.org/weta/faceofrussia/timeline-index.html] 1861 Alexander II reformed Russia social structure(freed the serfs) 1866 Dostoevsky's// Crime and Punishment // He explored the tension between realism and a positive message, attempting to make a work that went beyond explaining things that were, and delved into what society// should //be like. This work was heavily influenced by the positive ideals of Russia's predominantly Christian religion. When commenting on the balance between realism and upholding religious ideals, he wrote, "I am a child of the age, a child of unbelief and skepticism; I have been so far, and shall be I know to the grave.... [but] If anyone proved to me that Christ was not the truth and it really was a fact that the truth was not in Christ, I would rather be with Christ than with the truth.”

1860-1869 Populist movement- A new group of thinkers emerges in Russia, connected to similar movements across Europe, that want the government to focus on solidly scientific and practical ideas. This would mean abandoning some of the traditions of a long Russian history, and Government officials who didn't want to play along, like Alexander II, were assasinated. After the end of the movement in 1881, new artistic thought and experimentation. 1870-1873:// Haulers on the Volga//—by Ilya Repin This painting was an example of populist thought, and a rebellion against Western cultural influence. It symbolizes Russia's struggle to find its own national identity after centuries of cultural mimicry. 1874:// Boris Godunov, //by Musorgsky An opera that combined Western European style with a bold and emerging Russian identity. It was called "the musical symbol of Russia: Russia with her own distinct character and Russia that is open to the world outside."

1881- Alexander II gets blown up Seriously, this guy made some huge changes, and that pissed off some radicals, including a group called "the national will," the organization that orchestrated Alexander's assassination. These actions show the social tensions present in Russia because of the turbulent nature of social evolution in this period.

The important trends in Russia in the second half of the 19th century stemmed from Allexander II's social and judical changes. He freed the serfs, established trial by jury and worked to increase the rights of the many. These changes were a long time in the making, but he was the catlyst. Because of new ideas permating through all levels of Russian culture, social upheaval ensued! This was the environment in which Dostoevsky wrote. The populist movement was fighting for pure rationalism and Russia was screaming for its own individual style, as was expressed by// Boris Godunov.// These ideas often conflicted with the religious beliefs held by Dostoevsky. In his writtings, we can expect ot see a discusion on Russian individuality from western society, and the relationship between rational populism and Orthodox Christianity.