Jo Durden-Smith
This travel account is from the late twentieth century, showing an American’s experiences in Russia just as the Soviet Union collapsed. Quite different in tone than most of similar works described above, partly because of era, partly by the specific situation of the author and the tone he adopts. Certainly after a certain point he becomes less a descriptor of Russia as a static, surveyed thing, and is more a witness to major change. Nevertheless some similar motifs continue, enough to make use of the account to shine comparative light on other accounts.
Most notably, Durden-Smith is utterly explicit in how directly he eroticizes Russian women and uses sexual encounters as metaphors for the basic character of Russian civilization and its encounter with the West. "And when I get back, Yelena is beneath the sheets in the big bedroom, naked and languorous: smiling. As I put down the bags I think for some reason of something I’ve read: that the Russians, as well a having had no Renaissance, Reformation, or Enlightenment, have no tradition of romantic love. I wonder whether it matters as I take off my jacket. It’s created nothing but trouble in the West. "(Jo Durden-Smith, 84)
The claim to special insight and representation as directly accompanying sexual conquest is one of the creepiest, most colonial things I’ve seen in a travel account on Russia, and signals a continuance of certain lines of traveler perspectives up to the end of the Cold War. I’m definitely planning to give some weight to this aspect of things, possibly to the extent of having a dissertation chapter focs on the later manifestations of this kind of thing.
Showing posts with label travel account. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel account. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Russia: Travels and Studies
Annette Meakin
"The peasant women of Great Russia are not as a rule so good-looking as the men. I attribute this to the great proportion of Finnish blood in their veins. In all purely Mongol races the men are the handsomer sex." (Meakin, 57) Very similar format to most other nineteenth century travel accounts in Russia, down to the rather bland and undistinguishable title. The work is different from others of the era on Russia by at least three major facets. 1. A less criticial view on the society than was the norm. 2. An even heavier emphasis than was typical on studying women and assessing their conditions. 3. A more modest situatng of this travel account in the wider field, Meakin doesn’t claim to be delivering unique insight into the true soul of Russia.
"The peasant women of Great Russia are not as a rule so good-looking as the men. I attribute this to the great proportion of Finnish blood in their veins. In all purely Mongol races the men are the handsomer sex." (Meakin, 57) Very similar format to most other nineteenth century travel accounts in Russia, down to the rather bland and undistinguishable title. The work is different from others of the era on Russia by at least three major facets. 1. A less criticial view on the society than was the norm. 2. An even heavier emphasis than was typical on studying women and assessing their conditions. 3. A more modest situatng of this travel account in the wider field, Meakin doesn’t claim to be delivering unique insight into the true soul of Russia.
In Deikin’s Russia and the Caucasus 1919-1920
by C. E. Bechhofer
A twentieth century Western travel account of Russia, focusing on aspects of the civil war. Useful for a position of contrast with the usual line of chronological approach I have for travel literature. As a piece of history this work is relatively useful, moderately gendered, fairly descriptive. Aa a piece of writing it’s a bit above normal for the type, being relatively varied and fast moving in its perspective. The direct layout of conflict undoubtedly heps give it a bit more force.
A twentieth century Western travel account of Russia, focusing on aspects of the civil war. Useful for a position of contrast with the usual line of chronological approach I have for travel literature. As a piece of history this work is relatively useful, moderately gendered, fairly descriptive. Aa a piece of writing it’s a bit above normal for the type, being relatively varied and fast moving in its perspective. The direct layout of conflict undoubtedly heps give it a bit more force.
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