Leiden University Student Repository

Os, Irene Van (2018)

Never Mess with Fairland: The Portrayal of Women in Russian Fairytales

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

This thesis analyses the portrayal of women in Russian fairy tales written in the late imperial age by examining three different tales, published by Alexander Afanasyev. Also, the thesis aims to clarify the relevance of examining Russian literature in the nineteenth century, fairy tales, and the application of gender studies to this literature. The publication by Afanasyev in 1855 includes the first written versions of the tales Maria Morevna, Vasilisa the Beautiful and The Feather of Finist the Bright Falcon. This examination analyses the content of the fairy tales, the action and behaviour of the female figures. The research is supported by the gender congruency theory, which proposes gender influences behaviour. The purpose of this analysis is to illuminate the relevance of fairy tales and gender study within Russian literature.

Russian fairytales

portayal of women

Author

Os, Irene Van

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

International Studies Russia and Eurasia

Supervisors

David, Maxine

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en