engleski

The Myth of Your Womb: Mythologizing Mothers in Russian Women's Autobiography

While describing autobiographical experiences ranging from second half of the 18th to early 20th century and involving public spheres as different as philanthropy, army and poetry, parallels can be drawn between narrative representations of mothers and future public roles, or, where available, careers of Anna Labzina, Nadezhda Durova and Marina Tsvetaeva. For example, various types and various degrees of mother mythologizations seem to invariably produce predestination effect, whereas some mother narratives can be said to have apologetic function, dependent on author's sociohistorical context. Mothers tend to leave ambivalent impression, since they all employ eccentric and usually harsh bringing up methods. In some of these cases mythologization even allows for mothers' supernatural qualities and prophetic talent. The aim of this work is to examine dimensions of narrative roles given to mothers regarding autobiographers' stepping out into public spheres.

Russian women's autobiography; public sphere; narrative role of mothers; mythologization.

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