Marfa, the governor or the submission of Novgorod
Marfa, the governor, or the submission of Novgorod (Russian: Marfa Posadnica, ili pokorenie Novgoroda ) is a novella by Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin .
The story, based on a real event in Russian history from the 1470s, was embellished by Karamsin and supplemented by his own speculations. The work was published in 1803 in the Westnik Jewropy magazine founded by Karamsin .
Historical background
The rise of Moscow and the submission of Novgorod
From the middle of the 15th century, the previously firmly organized Eastern Europe began to disintegrate , the golden horde disintegrated and the great power of Lithuania and the still young Moscow state were troubled by internal conflicts. The decisive factor was that Moscow was the first of these powers to be able to re-establish itself. This served u. a. also Grand Duke Vasily II. Policy of succession to the throne. In addition to the usual contracts and testamentary dispositions, he changed the succession plan by giving his son Ivan III, born in 1440, at the end of the 1940s . appointed Grand Duke and thus placed a “younger” Grand Duke at his side. This innovation in the will reflects the further development of Moscow's political self- image; this can also be recognized by the introduction of the title “ruler” (Russian gospodaŕ or gosudaŕ ). In documents, on seals and on coins, the Grand Duke was referred to as the “ ruler of all of Ruś ”.
When Vasily died in March 1462, he left his son Ivan III. an internally and externally consolidated Grand Duchy; thus the prerequisites for expansion were given. In Moscow, the "liberation" of the areas belonging to the neighboring Lithuanian state was already being tackled. This policy should by no means be restricted to the immediate neighbors. It was called " Gathering the Russian Land " and was intended to reintegrate the principalities of the former Kiev Empire .
The first victim of this policy was the city republic of Greater Novgorod , which so far had always managed to maintain its independence. Now that Novgorod feared for his freedom and had not adequately prepared his armed forces for a defensive, all that was left was to ask Lithuania for help. The alliance with Lithuania was a betrayal of the fatherland not only in the eyes of Russia, but also for Novgorod society.
Novgorod was accused of wanting to turn to "Latinism" and to fall away from orthodoxy. This was enough as an excuse to attack. Ivan III was no longer ready to tolerate unrestricted autocracy in Novgorod: "In our father's legacy Novgorod there must not be a Večebell, no posadnik, and we want to rule ourselves."
In the 1456 campaign, Novgorod was initially defeated by Moscow. The decisive battle against Moscow came in 1471, when Novgorod was again defeated by Moscow troops because aid from Lithuania was not available. The city's political leaders were taken prisoner in Moscow, and the Grand Duke had them executed, insofar as they were involved in pro-political politics. The office of Posadnik and Veče were abolished for any autonomy there was no more room.
At the beginning of 1478 the details were fixed. The residents of Novgorod made Ivan III. the oath of allegiance. When the Grand Duke arrived in Moscow, he had the Več bell brought with him and it was hung as a sign of the new rule in Moscow, "to ring with the other bells". Novgorod's special position no longer existed.
Narrative perspective
In the novella, the author is split into editor and "fictional" author. The editor acts as a kind of moderator and explains the importance of the narrated events in the historical context. He points out the importance of past history for the present.
The fictional author is introduced to the story by the editor as a direct eyewitness. He is a Novgorod citizen who has witnessed the historical development, the submission of Novgorod, and has recognizable sympathies for Marfa. Despite this affection, events roughly coincide with the truth. So the narration is from two perspectives. The author's sympathetic, emotional point of view is dominant here. The two points of view of the narrators are not opposed to one another, they also occasionally show tendencies towards ambivalence. In between, both show a concrete understanding of each other's position. It is not only through the division into editor and fictional author that different points of view become recognizable, the protagonists also embody different perspectives.
Characters of the narrative
Marfa Posadnica is a historical person and plays the primary role in the narrative. She is described as a passionate, proud, smart woman who acts exclusively emotionally. This means that it lacks the insight that the autocracy is the only form of government since the republic is no longer viable.
Marfa symbolizes the republic and is closely linked to the city. At first she is supported by the people, towards the end she has to defend herself against Moscow alone and pay with her life. The republic dies with her. The motivation for this fight was to fulfill the legacy of her late father and their men who fell in the Novgorod battle. She had no personal ambition, but is committed out of loyalty and attachment to her family and the republic. In order to continue the political tradition, she ignores the role of women and thus violates the Slavic habits that provide for a purely domestic life for women.
The Moscow Grand Duke Ioann or Ivan III. is Marfa's opponent. He only appears personally at the end and is presented as the wise ruler. In contrast to Marfa, he is not weighed down by family, emotional baggage. The difference between Marfa and Iwan is not in the exercise of their power, but in the degree of political reason they have. This reason makes him act right and legitimizes the submission of Novgorod.
Another character is Marfa's daughter Ksenija . Her behavior fulfills typical Slavic clichés, she is the total antithesis of Marfa. Politically ignorant, according to the traditional sentimentalist image of women, characterized by her innocence and virtue. Your gestures, looks and eyes reveal your inner state. As is typical of the sentimental heroines, she does not choose her future bridegroom herself, but leaves this decision to her mother. She accepts them without resistance and loves him with the same intensity as she loves her mother and brothers.
The brothers are not in a position to take on a government role, so Marfa chooses her son-in-law Miroslav , who is not lacking in bravery and determination. In a solemn ceremony, he is presented with the sword of a Novgorod warrior to inspire him to perform glorious deeds. But he too fell in the war and was unable to continue the family tradition.
The last hope to keep this tradition alive would be Marfa's grandfather - old Feodsij . He used to have a high government function and was respected and recognized by everyone. But he left his office to end his life as a hermit in the mountains. Even he cannot continue the tradition when he is brought back to his previous office.
Symbols in the narrative
The Veče bell represents a striking leitmotif . It symbolizes the freedom of the city of Novgorod and throughout history this freedom has been reflected in it. The initially intact condition worsens with the growing threat until the bell tower collapses. The provisional rebuilding is symbolic of the temporary arrangement, which is constantly threatened by collapse and which represents the republic under the powerful pressure of Ivan. After his final victory, the bell is finally dismantled and transported to Moscow as booty.
Another important symbol is the golden chain of office , which is passed on from governor to governor and thus symbolizes the long tradition of the flourishing Novgorod, which is interrupted for the first time after the early death of Marfa's father and her husband.
The weather is used as a harbinger of the coming calamity. It is intended to force the impression that the development presented is inevitable and thus has the effect that the reader is attuned to the tragic failure from the start.
Language and representation used
At the beginning of the story, onomatopoeia and rhythm play a role, antitheses are used and many rhetorical questions are incorporated. Repeated words are intended to draw attention to certain parts of the sentence. The protagonists mostly express themselves in indirect speech.