From Taras Bulba to the present day: Zakhar Prilepin spoke about the role of fatherhood and patriotism in literature

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The image of the father is one of the strongest in Russian literature. Through it, writers of different eras have explored the fate of both the individual and the nation. These and other themes were discussed at the meeting of the Literary Club "What to Read?!" held on 24 October at the National Centre RUSSIA. The guest of the event was writer, public and military figure, lieutenant colonel, and father of four, Zakhar Prilepin. The discussion was moderated by Head of the Scientific Council of the Centre for Political Conjuncture, Professor at the Higher School of Economics, and author of the Telegram channel "Chesnakov. Library", Alexei Chesnakov. The event was timed to coincide with Father’s Day.

"Father’s Day has been celebrated in Russia for several years now, and we decided to discuss this theme not only in terms of the image of the father in Russian literature, but also in terms of how writers portrayed their own fathers in their works. I believe this is an inexhaustible topic. The more we speak about fathers, families, brothers, and sisters through the lens of literature, the more our families and children will uphold those very principles embedded in our cultural code," said Alexei Chesnakov.

Speakers analysed how fathers’ roles in such essential works as "Taras Bulba", "Fathers and Sons", and "War and Peace" helped shape patriotic values and a proper understanding of family.

"We need an absolute, total, one-hundred-percent cult of family, a cult of childbearing. We are not just the pinnacle of creation — we are heirs to a colossal civilisation, immense wealth, geography, history, and meaning. And we must pass all this on. If we have no children, no heirs — in both the literal and figurative sense — there will be no one to pass it on, and no one to ensure the industrial, military, or food security of our country," stressed Zakhar Prilepin.

According to Zakhar Prilepin, the father figure of Taras Bulba is one of the benchmarks in literature: "The highest standard of paternal responsibility was set for us by the great Russian writer Nikolai Gogol in ‘Taras Bulba’. We must not treat it as a metaphor or a relic of the late Middle Ages. The father’s readiness to bear this responsibility — to go to war with one son and to execute the other for treason with his own hands — only this, according to Gogol’s testament, can guarantee the preservation of Russian statehood."

Discussing the role of literature in society, Zakhar Prilepin drew attention to the responsibility of writers towards the state. He emphasised that creative work should take into account the interests of the Motherland, not only aim for self-expression.

"Writers face the same challenges as the rest of society, and they too need the state’s basic guidelines. Art has always worked directly with the problems of the state — and in doing so created masterpieces we continue to revisit today. But now, art sometimes runs wherever it wants, so writers should express themselves less and think more about the interests of the Fatherland," Prilepin underlined.

Answering questions from the moderator and the audience, the writer drew on his own experience of fatherhood to reveal the secret of proper upbringing and harmony with children: "There is no way to become the ideal father. Children often recognise the father’s ideal only after some time — as in Yesenin’s verse, ‘you see great things only from a distance’. There is no universal measure — whether a father should be strict or kind, clever or not so much. It is a living, ongoing process. But in the end, I believe love must be at the heart of it all. And that, towards my children, I certainly have in abundance."

As is tradition, at the end of the meeting the authors of the best audience questions received a book as a gift — this time, Zakhar Prilepin’s novel "Tuma", published in 2025.

The Literary Club "What to Read?!" is an in-house project of the National Centre RUSSIA, an intellectual platform for exploring literary legacy and exchanging ideas and experiences. Each meeting focuses on thoughtful writing and the development of a culture of reading.

Visitors can join club events and take part in many other educational and cultural programmes at the National Centre RUSSIA free of charge with prior registration at russia.ru. Current information about upcoming events is available in the "Events" section.