The conceptual basis of the narrative space in the “History of Siberia” by Semyon Remezov: “hidden quotation”

This paper examines a specific case of a “hidden quotation” functioning as the conceptual foundation of the narrative space in the “History of Siberia” (1680s), an illustrated historical work by Semyon Remezov. The text under study is part of the manuscript known as the “Remezov’s Chronicle” and exhibits genre, plot, and stylistic unity, with each chapter accompanied by a medieval-style miniature. The study demonstrates that the text and illustrations form an interconnected system, equally shaping the narrative space of the work, though each employs distinct stylistic devices in structuring this unity. One element of this narrative strategy is the liturgical-poetic composition “Soglasie pevaemo za tsarya i za lyudi, vnegda iskhoditi protivu ratnym, tvorenie Filofeya patriarkha Tsaryagrada” (“Harmony sung for the Tsar and the people, when going forth against the enemy, by Philotheus, Patriarch of Constantinople”), which appears as a “hidden quotation.” When the texts of church hymns and canons are superimposed onto Remezov’s laconic narration of Yermak’s battles with Kuchum, the ethical and aesthetic perception of the story shifts, expanding its narrative dimensions. Remezov deliberately constructs his text through literary allusions. Although direct quotations are rare, their presence signals a broader cultural and literary context essential for interpreting the work. These “hidden quotations” serve as references to external systems of meaning, guiding the reader’s reception of the text.

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