Russian Women in Literature and Film

Course Overview: In this course we will explore the stereotypes about Russian women constructed in the media as opposed to or measured against the image of Russian women in literature. We will break down the knot of contradictions portraying Russian women as both hyper-feminine (i.e. sexually attractive, submissive, overly-sensual, and concerned with superficial matters such as their looks and glamorous lifestyle) and hyper-masculine (i.e. bossy, army-officer-like, strict and prudent, enduring, etc.) from an informed point of view. We will also explore a concept of the Russian woman as a mother, all-caring and all-forgiving, which draws from a long tradition of feminization of the concept of Rodina (“grand motherland”) and personifying it in a series of easily recognizable images. In this course you will see a selection of films that utilize these stereotypes and present them in a certain historical context – that of the Revolution of 1917, the collapse of Soviet Union, or the increased social mobility during the 1990s. The films will be accompanied by literary works and/or excerpts which will frame our discussion of the media images. You will also have access to critical writings on the subject which will familiarize you with the scholarly discussion in the field. The course will come to closure in the discussion of the contemporary female public figures, such as Ksenia Sobchak, Tatiana Tolstaya and the leaders of Pussy Riot group, their take on the female stereotypes and their influence on the Russian public thinking of today.

Satisfies General Education Requirements:

• Group-Satisfying: Arts and Letters
• Multicultural Courses: International Cultures (IC)