The work reveals and discusses significant similarities of positions and life paths of the main antagonists of Pushkin’s tragedy - Boris Godunov and Grigory Otrepiev. The author argues that on the basis of these similarities one can speak about the motif of the fate of «The Divided Kingdom» which remained unnoticed in the play earlier, but which was included in all the three synoptic Gospels. Some traits that go back to this motif of the New Testament can be traced in Pushkin's thoughts about the country's history: from the Oprichnina through the «Time of Troubles» and Pugachev's rebellion to the Polish uprising of 1830-1831. This motif provides the basis for the moral criteria that Pushkin uses when assessing historical events. We discover some underlying connections of Pushkin's works with the reflections of Karamzin about Russian history. We also show the way Karamzin influenced Pushkin and prompted his close reading of the Bible books.
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