urgs wrath. In Pushkins introduction he explains thehistory of the city, in which he sets his tale. Peters campaign to westernizeRussia, the decline of the old capital of Moscow and its Old Russian values inlieu of the rise of Petersburg as the new capital with its new values and culture.As the introduction comes to a close, Pushkin addresses the inhuman aspect ofthe city when he states, Even the elements by your hand/ have been subduedand made surrender.(Pushkin 120) Pushkins reference to the elements ispertinent to this story, for he is referring to St. Petersburg survival of the floodingof the Neva river while human life cannot survive. Pushkins account of the flood is coupled with the internal story of the fateof Evgeny, the little man. Evgeny, a penniless man, witnesses the damagingeffects of the flood, and, more importantly, we learn that the flood has sweptaway a widow and his dream, her daughter,/ Parasha.(Pushkin 124) Thesefloods plaguing the capital were seen by the Russians as the wrath of theWesterners. Peter built the city for the soul purpose of establishing a window tothe West and these floods were seen as the West once again attempting todestroy Mother Russia. Fear of the sea was perhaps to be expected among anearthbound people whose discovery of the sea coincided with their traumaticdiscovery of the outside world.(Billington 368) After the natural attack ceased, The purple radiance of the morning hadcovered up the dire event,(Pushkin 126) and the rest of Petersburg woke torebuild what they had lost and to go on with the happenings of everyday life;however, Evgeny, who puts himself before the state, cannot do so. As St.Petersburg endures, Evgeny cannot continue on with everyday life; Petersburgand its wrath have defeated him. Spare some pity/ for my poor, poor Evgeny,who/ by the sad happenings in the city/ had wits unhinged.(Pushkin 126-7) Evgeny takes the streets of the city as his new residence. After months ofassaults...
