The First Artistic Experience of Comprehending the Issue of Female Sexual Slavery in Specific Don Cossack Literature: the Store «Bulavin`s Grave Sin» by N.I. Krasnov (1884)

The article focuses on the first artistic experience of comprehending the issue of female sexual slavery in specific Don cossack literature, particularly in the store «Bulavin’s grave sin» published in 1884. Being compared with the status of the Don social thought, the story shows that N.I. Krasnov’s ideas of sexual slavery reflects the other Don author’s vision. On the one hand, the gravity of classical slavery and serfdom was underestimated in Don historiography (except for P.P. Sakharov); on the other hand, sympathy for women and a call for defending their rights are typical for many Don texts of the late 19th and the early 20th century. Therefore, a N.I. Krasnov’s philippic pathos is aimed not at classical female sexual slavery, but at any form of women’s subordination. A Turkish’s harem into a narrative is described as a more convenient place for a heroine than the house where she lives with her legal husband. Krasnov defines the status of free women on the Don in 17th century as «slave subordination», and he also shows that the proud and freedom-loving main heroine does not belong neither in Turkish word, nor in Russian one. Krasnov has shown, even though in slightly naïve form, immorality of female objectivization and depriving women of their right for feelings. The Krasnov’s story deserves attention as the first work of literature about sexual slavery and also as an original reaction to this slavery from the liberal author who has been in times of serfdom and who was quite tolerant to it.

Source: Peretyatko A.Yu., Selezneva M.A. (2021) The First Artistic Experience of Comprehending the Issue of Female Sexual Slavery in Specific Don Cossack Literature: the Store «Bulavin’s Grave Sin» by N.I. Krasnov (1884). Slavery: Theory and Practice. 6(1): 42-53

Source web-site: https://stp.cherkasgu.press/journals_n/1639398794.pdf