1. Annual of French Studies 2023: War and Society (2023)
2. On the ideological fronts of the Crimean war: image of Russia in French literature and journalism

On the ideological fronts of the Crimean war: image of Russia in French literature and journalism

Tanshina Natalia

The article, carried out within the framework of an imagological approach, is devoted to the perception of Russia in French literature, journalism and public opinion during the years of the Crimean War. The author draws a conclusion that public opinion, almost exclusively anti-Russian since the 1830s and 1840s, was an important factor in inciting the ruling circles of France and Great Britain to enter the war. Even though newspapers and magazines were formally addressed to a mass audience, often their real goal was to influence the political decision-making process of government. Based on the analysis of the works of several French authors, such as L.-A. Léouzon Le Duc, J. Michelet, G. Doret, R. Bourdier, Ch. de Saint-Julien, J. de Lagny, the author reconstructs the images of Russia in France during the Crimean War and concludes that Russophobia in these years becomes not just fashionable, but politically necessary, in demand and a mass phenomenon. At the same time, the author concludes that for many authors, Russophobia and the escalation of "fantasy fears" in front of the imaginary "Russian threat" were only a mechanism of political game, a way to strengthen their popularity, and personal success. On the example of the considered works of the period of the Crimean War, it is concluded that the perception of Russia and Russians by French and European authors as a whole was politically biased and depended both on the domestic political situation in the country, and on the situation in France and the international situation. The authors of works about Russia were often a kind of political weather vane, reflecting public moods and fulfilling a certain social order, so their view of Russia underwent significant metamorphoses.

Keywords: Crimean War of 1853–1856, Russian-French relations, imagology, image of Russia, “Russian threat”, Russophobia

Link: Tanshina N. On the ideological fronts of the Crimean war: image of Russia in French literature and journalism // Annual of French Studies 2023: War and Society.М. P. 248-274.

The article was written based on the RANEPA state assignment research program.

 

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