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The ''yurodivy'' is traditionally an eccentric figure who is outside conventional society. The Madness of the ''yurodivy'' is ambiguous, and can be real or simulated. He (or she) is believed to be divinely inspired, and is therefore able to say truths which others cannot, normally in the form of indirect allusions or Parable s. He had a particular status in regard to the Tsar s, as a figure not subject to earthly control or judgment. The Russian Orthodox Church numbers 36 ''yurodivys'' among its Saint s, most prominently Saint Basil . THE YURODIVY IN ART AND LITERATURE After the 17th Century the ''yurodivy'' existed more in the arts than in real life. Prominent examples are the fool in '' Boris Godunov '', Pavel 's mother in '' The Brothers Karamazov '' and Prince Myshkin in '' The Idiot ''. The composer Dmitri Shostakovich and the pianist Maria Yudina have been cited as 20th Century examples of the type. Films including the yurodivy include the Red Western '' The Burning Miles ''; the character Kayom in '' At Home Among Strangers '', who quickly turns from foe to friend can be seen as such a figure. SEE ALSO |
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