THE SUBJECTS AND PLOTS OF V.A. ZHUKOVSKY AND YE.G. PUSHKINA'S CORRESPONDENCE

The article deals with the analysis of V.A. Zhukovsky's letters to Yelena Grigorievna Pushkina, born Voyeykova (Nemtsova, 1778-1833, in her first marriage), A.M. Pushkin's wife (1771-1825), a writer, translator, amateur actor, a distant relative of A.S. Pushkin. The main themes and plots of the correspondence aredistinguished. They allow revealing significant facts of Zhukovsky's biography and of his epoch, which is the focus of the given article.Zhukovsky's and Ye.G. Pushkina's participation in the life of the insane K.N. Batyushkov and his sisters Alexandra and Julia is traced on the material of letters of 1824-25 and 1827-28 revealing the images of letter-writers as "kind, guardian Geniuses" of the sick poet and his family. Zhukovsky's letters of 1826 considered in the article concerning Batyushkov's health and his sisters' fate are interesting, first of all, from the point of view of the fact that they were written from the new Russia. In the course of events of December 14, 1825 Zhukovsky told Pushkina the news about Ye.F. Muravyeva whose sons, Decembrists Nikita and Alexander, and three nephews were imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress, as well as about another Russia's ordeal - the death of N.M. Karamzin.A special plot line is connected with the Turgenev brothers, and primarily with S.I. Turgenev. Zhukovsky believed firmly in his recovery keeping in mind that he possessed most important qualities - his spirit and good will, but his fate was determined in another way. After S.I. Turgenev's death, particular attention in Zhukovsky and Ye.G. Pushkina's correspondence is paid to A.I. Turgenev's spirit and to their common concern - N.I. Turgenev who had to come back to Russia from England for the Decembrists' case hearings and who was sentenced to death in absentia. In the letter written to Pushkina in June 12-28, 1928 one can find a list of basic ideas given by Zhukovsky in "Notes about N.I. Turgenev" that characterised his high spirit.A number of Zhukovsky's letters to Pushkina are concerned with their common troubles related to O.A. Pushkina's engagement to a Greek colonel G.D. Orfano (1794-1859), a participant of Ypsilanti rebel. Zhukovsky is known to have appealed to the Tsar through monarchess Alexandra Feodorovna for this reason.Zhukovsky and Ye.G. Pushkina's correspondence shows the process of strengthening of their friendship and spiritual relationship, mutual respect, based on their sincere desire to give to others fully following the voice of heart and conscience, to participate in important events of Russian culture and society.Archive materials from V.A. Zhukovsky and Ye.G. Pushkina's autograph collection from the Manuscript department of Russian Literature Institute as a part of P.I. Bartenev's collection are published in the article.

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