Pure, strong and sexless : the peasant woman's body and Gleb Uspensky / Henrietta Mondry.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mondry, Henrietta.

Series:

Studies in Slavic literature and poetics ; v. 43.

Studies in Slavic literature and poetics ; v. 43

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Russian literature--20th century--History and criticism.

Russian literature.

Women in literature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (290 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam ; New York : Rodopi, 2006.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Pure, Strong and Sexless explores the representation of gender and sexuality of peasant women in turn of the century Russian culture through the writings of populist writer Gleb Uspensky. Uspensky's numerous works address a range of issues related to sexuality, including infanticide, abortion, prostitution, adultery and venereal disease. This is the first comprehensive study of populist's fantasies in regard to the peasant woman's body as a non-sexed utopian body within Russian fin-de-siecle sexual discourse. Included in this book is the first English translation of the diary of Uspensky's psychiatrist, Dr Boris Sinani. This frank account portrays the tragic decline of a sensitive observer and writer into the psychotic and delusionary world of schizophrenia. This work is an invaluable source for students of Russian literature, gender studies, and history of psychiatry.

Contents:

Introduction

Chapter 1: "Daydreams": the quest for social gender changes or a new type of beauty?

Chapter 2: "In a Woman's Position": truncated sexuality in young women and teenage boys

Chapter 3: How 'straight' is the Venus de Milo? Shaping gender in stone sculpture

Chapter 4: "A Good Russian type": in search of a new masculinity

Chapter 5: Peasant sexuality and demonic possession

Chapter 6: "She Stopped!": moral rebirth through hard labor

Chapter 7: Children: necessary evil or product of divine will?

Chapter 8: The sacred egg: a symbol of human procreation

Chapter 9: The final testimony: "Peasant Women"

Conclusion

Appendix: The Diary of Doctor B. N. Sinani: a record of Gleb Uspensky's illness

Translator's introduction by Henrietta Mondry

Preface to the Diary by publisher Vladimir Bonch-Bruevich

The Diary of Doctor B. N. Sinani

Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [273]-284) and index.

ISBN:

94-012-0218-4

1-4294-1331-X

OCLC:

76416302

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789401202183 DOI