Classics Considered

For lovers of Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, Eugene Onegin takes us back to Imperial Russia, where young Tatyana Larina falls for her brooding, Byronic neighbor. More than a romance, Alexander Pushkin’s epic poem is a classic of Russian literature and history, as well as a glimpse into the 19th-century dueling culture which proved to be so fatal for him.

Sources / Further Reading:
Why the Russian aristocrats spoke French – Reddit discussion with academic sources
Eugene Onegin – Translation by Henry Spalding (not my first recommendation, but it’s free)
Pushkin’s African Background – Article by the British Library
List of Alexander Pushkin’s duels – By blogger Rina Tim
Russian Ark (2002) – A creative documentary surveying 200 years of Russian culture.  I was able to watch this on loan from the library, and while it’s a slow film (not gripping), the visuals are interesting.
Opening quote read by MaryAnn (LibriVox)