Allusions to the bible in the “estate text” of Boris Zaytsev (based upon his short story “Agrafena” and the novel “The Distant Land”)

The biblical themes and motifs found in the early works of Boris Zaytsev have not been completely studied by the literary scholars. Different researchers (E. F. Dudina, N. A. Ivanova, O. G. Knyazeva and others) analyzed the presence of the New Testament motifs in the story “Agrafena” and the novel “The Distant Land”, but did not relate them to the context of a country estate through which they were conveyed. That makes the study of these works a priority from the Christian point of view. This article studies these two works: a novel and a short story — and demonstrates the presence of the motif of returning to an estate after an ordeal, or suffering, or delusion, which is shown like the return of the prodigal son to the father’s house; the motif of gaining the faith conveyed as the opportunity to hear and understand oneself, to get into harmony with nature after returning home; the motif of humility, acceptance of the fate, bearing one’s cross. Orthodox symbolism (the chalice of sorrows, the stormy sea of life, a stone as the foundation for a new faith) is seem as an important sign for the characters on their way, indicating the right choice, helping them to realize their mission. The motif of a miracle seeing, a dream in “Agrafena”, taken by the main character as a divine revelation, is of great importance. In these texts, the country estate becomes a topos the spiritual evolution of characters is closely related to.