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

"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 The selections are drawn from a wide variety of documents, published and unpublished, including memoirs, diaries, legal codes, correspondence, short fiction, poetry, ethnographic observations, and folklore.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.

This collection offers a treasure trove of primary sources of interestto students of women's history. Carefully introduced and annotated, these documentsillustrate the diversity of Russian women's lives. -- Barbara AlpernEngel

There is no other work that offers such a wide variety ofdocuments and such a successful combination of literary and historical materials.-- Ann Hibner Koblitz

This rich anthology of source materialsmakes available for the first time in any language a multitude of primary sources onthe lives of Russian women from the reign of Peter the Great to the Bolshevikrevolution. The selections are drawn from a wide variety of documents, published andunpublished, including memoirs, diaries, legal codes, correspondence, short fiction, poetry, ethnographic observations, and folklore. Primacy is given to sourcesproduced by women and previously unavailable in English translation. Organizedthematically, the documents focus on women's family life, work and schooling, publicactivism, creative self-expression, and sexuality and spirituality, as well as onthe cultural ideals and legal framework which constrained women of all socialclasses.

Robin Bisha, who holds a Ph.D. in Russian history from Indiana University, recently completed an M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She previously taught history at Kalamazoo College and the University of Texas at El Paso.

Jehanne M Gheith is Associate Professor in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Duke University.

Christine Holden is Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Southern Maine. She previously taught at Bates College and also was a Legislative Assistant for the Maine State Legislature.

William G. Wagner is Brown Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History, Williams College.

Introduction

CHAPTER I: Defining Ideals

CHAPTER II: Family Life

CHAPTER III: Sexuality

CHAPTER IV: Work and Schooling

CHAPTER V: Religion, Piety, and Spiritual Life

CHAPTER VI: Opposition and Activism

Glossary

Suggested Readings in English

Index