This book is the first interdisciplinary treatment of the mythic image of the Decembrists, a group of Russian noble officers who attempted, but failed, to overthrow the tsarist government in 1825. By exploring Russian literature, history, film and opera this book shows how the Decembrist myth evolved over time depending on political agendas. Though originally it functioned as a myth of opposition to authority and espoused self-sacrifice, it later became a legitimating myth for the Soviet regime. Ludmilla Trigos reveals how the Decembrist myth inspired generations of Russian revolutionaries and writers and still retains its hold on the Russian cultural imagination.