Epistolary Heritage as a Component of the National Cultural Code

Today, it is becoming scientifically proven that the well-being of countries is influenced and has a great impact on, among other things, culture – the values and behavioral attitudes that guide people [6]. These factors are most clearly manifested through the study and analysis of written sources of communication. They provide documentary evidence of the author's views and prevailing socio-cultural trends of a particular historical period. The epistolary legacy of great Russian thinkers, writers and poets, composers and artists is not only an invaluable historical and literary document, but also plays a huge role in the formation of the national cultural code. Private correspondence reveals the author's personality, their aesthetic and philosophical views, and the everyday and social reality of the era. Representing a literary fact, letters become part of a single national cultural code reflecting Russian culture. The article examines how the epistolary writings of each of the classics make their own unique contribution to the national pattern of Russian identity. Epistolary heritage is described as a phenomenon and an important component of the cultural code. The article explores the development of the epistolary genre in a historical context. It also highlights the specifics of written communication in the modern digital age. It notes that the epistolary writings of Russian classics are influencing the younger generation, raising their overall level of culture and speech.