IMAGE OF THE EAST IN “LETTERS OF A RUSSIAN FROM PERSIA” BY N. F. MASALSKY

Abstract

The article examines one of the works of documentary literature, which contains information about Persia in the mid-19th century. This kind of literature includes notes, letters and travel journals of Russian diplomats, military officers and travelers who visited Persia in the 18th – 19th centuries. This layer of literature has been practically unexplored. The article analyzes “Letters of a Russian from Persia” by Nikolai Fedorovich Masalsky, a professional military man and artilleryman. In 1839 he was sent to Persia to organize technical artillery institutions and train artillery officers. “Letters of a Russian from Persia” represent a reliable and valuable source of information about Persia. The “Letters” comprehensively describe the natural realities, religious, social, cultural and everyday aspects of the life of the Persians. Thematically “Letters” are included in the eastern text of Russian literature. They have signs of ambassadorial discourse. “Letters of a Russian from Persia” is in the form of an epistolary. From this point of view, the genre features of the text are analyzed: the structure of the epistolary, artistic means, style. The analysis establishes that descriptions of an unfamiliar geographical, social and cultural space and numerous Persian realities form the core of the travel narrative and have the properties of a guide to the country. The author's innovation in the formation of new functional properties of a travelogue – the properties of a guidebook – is noted.