R a s p u t i n
The Hero’s Journey of a Mad Monk
Birth & Home
of Rasputin
•
Born a peasant in the village of
Pokrovskoye around 1871.
•
Both siblings died in childhood.
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Possessed supernatural traits.
•
Left home at age 18 to the Verkhoturye
Monastery.
•
Returned to Pokrovskoye a year later
and married.
Birth & Home
of Malcolm X
•Born in Lansing, Michigan
•Experienced discrimination from the
predominantly white community
•House was burned to the ground
•Father was rumored murdered after
mysterious death
•Later moves to Boston
Call to Adventure
•
Dedicated his life to wandering and
spiritual healing.
•
Traveled to places such as Mt. Athos,
Greece, and Jerusalem.
•
Joined the Christian sect of Khlysty.
•
Experienced a vision from the
Mother of God, who told him of the
sick tsarevich, Aleksei.
•
Traveled to St. Petersburg in 1902.
Call to Adventure
•Original move to Boston opens up many
opportunities
•Takes advantage of prison libraries
•Is introduced to Nation of Islam from his
brother while in prison
Helpers/ Amulet
•
Had reportedly 2 spiritual guides.
•
The first was his “Guardian Angel”,
which he called Astra who lead him in
a journey of soul purification.
•
The second was a holy man named
Makariy, who Rasputin based most
of his religious philosophies off of.
Helpers/ Amulet
•Because father was a preacher for
Marcus Garvey, is a natural speaker
•Studies with Elijah Mohammad and
attends meetings of the Nation of Islam
Crossing the Threshold
•
As mentioned, Rasputin journeyed to
St. Petersburg in 1902, which began a
new chapter into his life; the
beginning of his ‘adventure’.
•
Before making it to the capital,
Rasputin learned of European culture
in the city of Kazan.
•
By now his reputation as a healer had
spread to the wealth of Russia.
Crossing the Threshold
•Named assistant minister in the Detroit
chapter of NOI
•Becomes assistant minister in Boston
church
•Begins speaking at NOI meetings across
country
Tests
•
Became popular with the church
leaders in St. Petersburg by 1905.
•
His popularity gained him many
enemies in the church as well,
constantly working against him,
saying he was motivated by money,
sex, and power.
Tests
•Series of crimes from 1943 to 1946
•Hustling, Drug dealing, and Stealing
included
•Arrested in 1946 for Grand Larceny and
Breaking and Entering
•Serves sentence in prison until paroled in
1952
•Later, as a leader, is under watch from the
FBI, KKK, and other organizations
Helpers
•
Rasputin was called on by the Tsarina
Alexandra to have him save her son
Aleksei, who suffered from
hemophilia.
•
After miraculously stopping Aleksei
from bleeding to death, Rasputin
became very close to the Romanov
family, especially with Alexandra.
•
This got his foot in the door to the
Russian government.
Helpers
•Taken in by Elijah Mohammad
•Converted from his life of crime
•Identified with the Nation of Islam
Climax/ Final Battle
•
Rasputin gained heavy influence over
Alexandra, and ultimately the Tsar.
•
After gaining much control in the
Russian government, Rasputin
gained many enemies.
•
Peter Stolypin was one, the newly
appointed Prime Minister. He saw
Rasputin’s influence was leading
Russia into a downward spiral much
faster than before.
•
This was the highest Rasputin’s
influence would ever be.
Climax/ Final Battle
•
After many trips to Middle
East, finally travels to Mecca in
1963
•
Meets fellow Muslims from
many different backgrounds
and races
•
Gains new insight to race
relations and returns to U.S to
promote brotherhood, not
segregation
Flight
•
Stolypin attempted to banish
Rasputin by giving the Tsar a report
of his private life, which consisted of
binge drinking, womanizing, and
other unholy activities.
•
Alexandra would not allow the
banishment.
•
Angering so many higher-ups in the
Russian government, and losing his
standing with the Romanovs,
Rasputin fled to Jerusalem.
Flight
•Seeks out other Civil Rights leaders to work
together toward common goals
•Seperates from the Nation of Islam and has public
rift with Elijah Mohammad
•Receives anonymous telephone threats
Return
•
Shortly after arriving in Jerusalem,
Rasputin received a telegram that Aleksei
had fallen in the bathtub and was bleeding
heavily internally.
•
Rasputin replied saying "Do not grieve.
The Little One will not die." Hours later
Aleksei has stopped bleeding.
•
This reinstated his favor with the
Romanovs, and he returned to St.
Petersburg.
Return
•Receives criticism from NOI for his change of
policy
•Death threats and incidents increase
•Finally, on February 21, 1965, Malcolm is
shot several times and pronounced DOA at
Columbia Presbyterian Hospital
Elixir
•
Rasputin was assassinated in 1916 by
Prince Feliks Yusupov (husband of
the Tsar's niece), Vladimir
Mitrofanovich Purishkevich, and the
Grand Duke Dimitry Pavlovich (the
Tsar's cousin).
•
Rasputin affected the events to come
of the Russian Revolution, as well as
his knowledge which predicted
Russia’s future in his last letter.
Last Letter to the Tsarina
“I write and leave behind me this letter at St. Petersburg. I feel that I shall leave life before
January 1st. I wish to make known to the Russian people, to Papa, to the Russian
Mother and to the children, to the land of Russia, what they must understand. If I am
killed by common assassins, and especially by my brothers
the Russian peasants, you, Tsar of Russia, have nothing to fear, remain on your
throne and govern, and you, Russian Tsar, will have nothing to fear for your children,
they will reign for hundreds of years in Russia. But if I am murdered by boyars, nobles,
and if they shed my blood, their hands will remain soiled with my blood, for twentyfive years they will not wash their hands from my blood. They will leave
Russia. Brothers will kill brothers, and they will kill each other and hate each other,
and for twenty-five years there will be no nobles in the country. Tsar of the land of
Russia, if you hear the sound of the bell which will tell you that Grigory has been killed,
you must know this: if it was your relations who have wrought my death then no one of
your family, that is to say, none of your children or relations will
remain alive for more than two years. They will be killed by the Russian people...I
shall be killed. I am no longer among the living. Pray, pray, be strong, think
of your blessed family.”
23 days later, Rasputin was killed by two relatives of the Tsar.
19 months later, the Tsar and his family were executed.
Elixir
•
Was a dynamic leader, able to admit wrong, and
evolve in the public eye.
•
Promoted brotherhood of races and fought for Black
Rights as Human Rights
•
"...I shall never rest until I have undone the harm I
did to so many well-meaning, innocent Negroes who
through my own evangelistic zeal now believe in him
even more fanatically and more blindly than I did."
Malcolm X, on those he encouraged to follow
Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad
•
"Dr. King wants the same thing I want. Freedom."
Similarities
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Both left their humble beginnings to achieve great influence
•
Both grew under guidance from spiritual leaders: Elijah Mohammed and Makariy
•
Because of increased power in their mediums, they developed strong opposition
•
Both were assassinated by their opposing force
Differences
•
•
Rasputin crossed the threshold swiftly, entering the tsar
Malcolm gradually gained influence in NOI after mentoring
•
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Rasputin was only able to rely on a few supporters, namely the tsarina
Malcolm had an extended network of support, even more so after his pilgrimage
•
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Rasputin’s drive remained relatively solid until his death
Malcolm made an important shift in his message toward racial equality
It’s over