Russian Folklore of Rumor and Resistance associated with the Russo-French War of 1812

The French invasion of 1812, which is named as Patriotic War (or the Fatherland War) against French Napoleon, is turning point either in Russian history, cultural history, or folklore and literature. The War influenced not only upon Russian national spirit, but upon the nation-wide interest in the peasantry, its way of life, and folklore in particular. For this right reason, along with Romantic ideals toward this lower group, the Russian peasants began to appear a major subject to be examined. Their sayings, songs, tales, life at the same time began to draw many people’s interest, academically and culturally. Under these historical circumstances, the Russian government and tsar Alexander himself, mobilize its nation into the religious foundation, the Christian base, establishing the Russian Bible Society (1813). Numerous anecdotes, rumors, gossips, fortunetelling, paintings (War lubok), and tales were produced regarding Napoleon, his invasions to Moscow, and his bad reputation. For instance, most of Russian common people, including intellectual society, considered Napoleon as the Antichrist; the Orthodox Church anathematized him demon equivalent to the Antichrist having apocalyptic image and motifs which are revealed in the Bible. The purpose of this paper is to explore the general landscape of the Patriotic War of 1812, and its various by-products seen from the perspective of common people, their folklore, and rumors about the French emperor. This study then classifies into three smaller chapters, each of which scrutinizes specific representative occasions to show the extent to which the Patriotic War of 1812 served the major dynamics to all of spheres of the nation’s cultural life, especially of common people.??? ????????? 2012??? ??????????????? ??????????????? ???????????? ??????????????? (HY-2012-G)