| Abstract: | Women lack freedom. They lack the freedom to be their individual selves, since society and tradition dictate their obligation and obedience first to their parents, and then to their husbands. Women have no long-standing personal identity to which they can cling in order to be who they want to be, since first they carry the name of their father in the form of a patronymic and then take the name of their husband when they marry, both of which are symbolic customs in patriarchal societies. In a patriarchal society such as Russia, patronymics, which are derivations from the first name of the father and not the mother, take the place of a middle name for both females and males. Thus, besides being identified with just the last name of the father, children must also carry the first name of the father. In addition, many common Russian first names for women are those of virtues: Vera (Truth or Faith), Nadezda or Nadia (Hope), and Liubov (Love) are examples. Others are those of saints, i.e., recognized "good" women. The purpose of this study is to create a better understanding of the treatment of women in Russian folklore. Its importance is to portray this literature as the perpetuation of some vices of culture, such as sexism, in society. Its impact will be shown in the consciousness of stereotypes and societal norms which are reflected in and passed on through the medium of fairy tales. The study of the constraint of women in Russian folklore will investigate the undeniable, and indeed, insidious elements maintained from the past in what otherwise may be the harmless exterior of these folk tales. |
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