Alina and Kostomarov: Love Reflected in Letters

Abstract

This paper studies the letters of M. Kostomarov's future wife – A. Kragelska. These letters were written in 1850–1851 and superscribed to Saratov, where M. Kostomarov was deportated in consequence of Brotherhood of Saint Cyril and Methodius case. The letters' specialty – is their sense transformation in “memory texts” over time. The later modifications on the manuscripts confirm that. I researched the writing instruments, the paper and the handwriting. It could be concluded, that the sources' external facts reveal A. Kragelska's emotions during writing. A. Kostomarova converted her letters into corpus delicti of M. Kostomarov's leaving. Hence, writing the autobiography, she used the letters to make them “causal narrative” for the separation the periods when they were together and asunder.