The Slave Soul of Russia: Moral Masochism and the Cult of Suffering

Daniel Rancour-Laferriere

Open Access Published by New York University Press 1995

The Slave Soul of Russia

Moral Masochism and the Cult of Suffering

Daniel Rancour-Laferriere

https://doi.org/10.18574/nyu/9780814769409.001.0001

Overview
Contents

About this book

Why, asks Daniel Rancour-Laferriere in this controversial book, has Russia been a country of suffering? Russian history, religion, folklore, and literature are rife with suffering. The plight of Anna Karenina, the submissiveness of serfs in the 16th and 17th centuries, ancient religious tracts emphasizing humility as the mother of virtues, the trauma of the Bolshevik revolution, the current economic upheavals wracking the country-- these are only a few of the symptoms of what The Slave Soul of Russia identifies as a veritable cult of suffering that has been centuries in the making.
Bringing to light dozens of examples of self-defeating activities and behaviors that have become an integral component of the Russian psyche, Rancour-Laferriere convincingly illustrates how masochism has become a fact of everyday life in Russia. Until now, much attention has been paid to the psychology of Russia's leaders and their impact on the country's condition. Here, for the first time, is a compelling portrait of the Russian people's psychology.

Author / Editor information

Rancour-Laferriere Daniel :

Daniel Rancour-Laferriere is Professor of Russian at the University of California, Davis. He is the author of many books, including The Slave Soul of Russia and Self-Analysis in Literary Study, both available from NYU Press.

Reviews

[Rancour-Laferriere] sees in Russian masochism one of the attractions and beauties of Russian culture. Sure to raise eyebrows, if not hackles.

A vast, provocative study . . . psychologically illuminating.

Joanna Hubbs,author of Mother Russia: The Feminine Myth in Russian Culture:
A provocative exploration of moral masochism as an undercurrent in the tragic history of the Russian people. Rancour-Laferriere's study should be read by all those interested in the nature of Russian nationalism and the myths surrounding Russian national character.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	xi
1. Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
2. Some Historical Highlights Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	18
3. Two Key Words in the Vocabulary of Russian Masochism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	66
4. Masochism in Russian Literature Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	78
5. Ontogeny and the Cultural Context Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	93
6. The Russian Fool and His Mother Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	122
7. Is the Slave Soul of Russia a Gendered Object? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	134
8. Born in a Bania: The Masochism of Russian Bathhouse Rituals Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	181
9. Masochism and the Collective Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	202
10. Conclusion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	245
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	249
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	291
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	319

Language: English
Publisher: New York University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;

eBook

Published: March 1, 1995
ISBN: 9780814769409