Russian Women, 1698-1917: Experience and Expression, An Anthology of Sources

Description

"This collection offers a treasure trove of primary sources of interest to students of women's history. Carefully introduced and annotated, these documents illustrate the diversity of Russian women's lives." ―Barbara Alpern Engel "There is no other work that offers such a wide variety of documents and such a successful combination of literary and historical materials." ―Ann Hibner Koblitz This rich anthology of source materials makes available for the first time in any language a multitude of primary sources on the lives of Russian women from the reign of Peter the Great to the Bolshevik revolution. The selections are drawn from a wide variety of documents, published and unpublished, including memoirs, diaries, legal codes, correspondence, short fiction, poetry, ethnographic observations, and folklore. Primacy is given to sources produced by women and previously unavailable in English translation. Organized thematically, the documents focus on women's family life, work and schooling, public activism, creative self-expression, and sexuality and spirituality, as well as on the cultural ideals and legal framework which constrained women of all social classes. Contents Acknowledgments List of Translators Note on Transliteration and Dates Map Timeline Abbreviations Introduction 1. Defining Ideals Introduction Eighteenth-Century Sermons A. On Chastity B. Holy Martyrs St. Tikhon, Christian Family Duties Maria Korsini, The Ideal Family Vissarion Belinskii, Review of A Victim Nikolai Pirogov, Questions of Life Maria Vernadskaia, Destiny of Women Evgenia Tur versus Natalia Grot, “The” Russian Woman Ariadna Tyrkova, The Emancipation of Women 2. Family Life Introduction Princess Dashkova’s Dowry Synod Decree on Underage Marriages Varvara Tatishcheva, From 1797, A Journal Glafira Rzhevskaia, Memoirs Maria Ivankova, Letter to Her Mother Ekaterina Dashkova, Letter to Her Daughter Diary of a Young Noblewoman, on Her Mother Aleksandra Levshina Mourns Her Sister Anna Volkova, Recollections of Childhood Aleksandra Efimenko, On Peasant Women’s Lives Female Poverty A. Lidiia Avilova, On the Road B. A. S. Saburova, Why Infants Die in [Peasant] Villages Evdokiia Rostopchina, The Forced Marriage Divorce A. Zhenka Anna B. Varvara Kondratevna C. Aleksandra Dvorskova D. Ia. Ludmer, Abused Peasant Women 3. Sexuality Introduction Sex and the Eighteenth-Century Noblewoman A. Tsaritsa Praskovia, On Pregnancy and Female Health B. Aleksandra Levshina, A Letter on Modesty C. Glafira Rzhevskaia, Courtship Intrigues D. Anna Labzina, Sexual Mores in Marriage Regulating Sexuality A. Exile for Indecent Behavior B. Regulation of Peasants’ Sexuality 1. Edict, Sexually Abusive Landowner 2. Irina Globina, Penance for Fornication C. Arranging of Marriages 1. Peasant Practices 2. Advice of an Elderly Woman D. Maria Pokrovskaia, Should Men Be Chaste? E. Prostitutes’ Petition Music Hall Songs A. Cruel Romance B. Shansonetki 1. I Was Sitting in My Kitchen 2. Here and There Girlfriends: Tsvetaeva to Parnok 4. Work and Schooling Introduction The Empress and the Philosopher: Catherine II–Voltaire Correspondence The Institutka and the Empress: Levshina–Catherine II Correspondence Fathers and Daughters A. Vasilii Tatishchev, A Caring Father’s Noteto His Young Daughter B. Mikhail Speranskii, A Diplomat Writes to His Daughteron Self-Reliance Private Schooling A. Anna Virt, Petition to Establish a School B. Diary of a Young Noblewoman: Curriculum and Teachers State Schooling: Regulations and Experience A. Women’s Patriotic Society, School for Girls B. State Women’s Gymnasiums and Progymnasiums C. Ekaterina Kuskova, Memoirs Admission to Universities Medical Schooling and Practice A. Belostok Obstetrical Institute B. Moscow Medical Practitioners’ School for Women C. St. Petersburg Women’s Medical Institute Prostitution as a Profession: Speech of Aleksandra Dementeva Peasant Women’s Work Property Management A. Correspondence of Tsaritsas Ekaterina and Praskovia B. Request of Baroness Stroganova The Woman Writer A. Elena Gan, Society’s Judgment B. Evdokiia Rostopchina, To My Critics Women and the Military A. Anna Menshikova, Letter to Peter I B. Varvara Bakunina, Memoirs of a Campaign C. Maria Bochkareva, Deposition about theWomen’s Death Battalion 5. Religion, Piety, and Spiritual Life Introduction The Religious Rituals of Daily Life A. Peasant Rituals B. Anna Volkova, Easter Period in the Merchant District Anna Labzina, Memoirs Maria Korsini, Thoughts and Tales Dedicated to Youth Diary of a Young Noblewoman, Doubts about Religion Popular Piety and Religious Dissent A. Isidora (Daria) B. Anastasia Kerova C. Witchcraft 1. Agrafena Ignateva 2. Maria Markova D. Old Believers: Iguminshcheva Monasticism A. Mavrikiia, in Schema Maria B. Serafima, Autobiography C. Countess Orlova-Davydova, Donation to Founda Women’s Religious Community D. Donations to the Alekseevskii Convent Liudmila Gerasimova, The Office of Deaconess: Letterto the Russian Orthodox Church Council of 1917–1918 6. Opposition and Activism Introduction Irina Vorontsova, Serf Women’s Resistance: The Countess’s Order Marko Vovchok, Sasha Elena Likhacheva, Letter to the Tsar Anna Kalmanovich, The Women’s Movement and Its Mission:Speech to the Women’s Congress, 1908 Tatiana Shchepkina-Kupernik, First Ball Ekaterina Breshko-Breshkovskaia, Women Supporting Womenin Opposition: Reminiscences of Natalia Armfeldt Peasant Women Protest: Police Reports A. Village of Chernech, Baltskii District, Podolia Province B. Hamlet of Zubovskoe, Korotoiaskii District, Voronezh Province C. Village of Arkhangelskoe, Urzhumskii District, Viatka Province D. Village of Bunino, Bolkhovskii District, Orel Province Vera Karelina, Working Women in the Gapon Assembly: Memoirs Civic Activism A. Charitable Work 1. Natalia Zagrazhskaia, A Personal Act of Charity 2. Evgenia Berkut, Publicly Organized Charity:Memoirs of a District Trustee B. Prostitution and Alcoholism 1. Maria Pokrovskaia, Prostitution and Alcoholism 2. Ekaterina Gardner, On Abolishing Brothels: Speech, 1910 C. Sofia Panina, On the Outskirts of St. Petersburg: Memoirs Glossary Suggested English-Language Readings Index