French Literature Reviews - 2026

Saint Petersburg as a Literary Myth
Comparative and World Literature

Wladimir Troubetzkoy, Saint Petersburg as a Literary Myth, PUF, 2003, 170 p.

Saint Petersburg—"adornment and marvel of midnight lands" (Pushkin)—returns: the entirety of modern Russian culture, from architecture to painting, was born in and of Saint Petersburg. A myth of submersion hovers over this northern spectacle of palaces, statues, novels, poems, and symphonies: Saint Petersburg is an Atlantis that has been resurfacing in Europe since the 1990s.

Rooted in mythopoetics and oneiropoetics, haunted by legends and ghostly presences, Saint Petersburg is the living city where Russia's dialogue with Europe—and with itself—takes place. As the "window open onto Europe" (Algarotti), Saint Petersburg stands as the ultimate guarantor of the European identity of Russian culture.

The study of urban myths and literary topoi occupies a significant place in Slavic studies and cultural history, where cities like Saint Petersburg are often examined as complex discursive spaces rather than mere geographical settings. Rooted in the broader tradition of mythopoetics and the study of cultural imaginaries, such works investigate how urban environments are constructed through centuries of poetry, prose, and artistic representation. Scholars in these fields frequently trace how specific capitals come to embody national identity, ideological conflicts, and philosophical dilemmas concerning a nation's relationship with neighboring cultural spheres.

Wladimir Troubetzkoy examines Saint Petersburg as a living city and a recurring cultural symbol bridging Russia and Europe, drawing on concepts of oneiropoetics and legendary imagery. The work discusses the city's status as a northern spectacle of palaces and monuments, its connection to modern Russian culture, and the persistent myth of submersion associated with its historical presence. Readers interested in Russian literature, urban cultural history, and comparative literary geography may find this examination of the former imperial capital relevant to their pursuits.