SESSION 1. ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY IN RUSSIAN CULTURE

Biblical origins of Dostoevsky's air symbolism in Crime and Punishment

Three Silent Sages and One Blind Bishop: Tolstoy’s Religion in Three Hermits

Christianization of Rus' and Pagan Traditions: Is it all Just Bathhouses at Midnight?

Christ is Risen: Easter Liturgy as the Pinnacle and Locus of Artistic Expression in Medieval Rus’

KEYNOTE LECTURE: Through Orange-Colored Goggles: Russian and American Images of One Another During the Orange Revolution

SESSION 2. NINETEENTH-CENTURY RUSSIAN LITERATURE (TOLSTOEVSKY)

The Effects of Svidrigailov’s Inner Monster in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment

The Shawl Motif in Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky

Problems of Death and Difference in Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina

Tolstoy and Truth: The Inadequacies of Language in Anna Karenina

SESSION 3. SOVIET AND POST-SOVIET RUSSIA

Analysis of the Competition for the Mass Fashion Market in Present-Day Russia

Admiral Sergei Gorshkov's Publications on Soviet Naval Strategy: Soviet Context and American Response


Matthew Doka (Wharton and Engineering & Applied Science)
Biblical Origins of Dostoevsky's Air Symbolism in Crime and Punishment

In Dostoevsky's masterpiece, Crime and Punishment [1866], the symbol of air is introduced and used by positive and negative characters. George Gibian, in "Traditional Symbolism in Crime and Punishment," glosses over the depth of the symbol of air by assuming that "Absence of air reinforces the lack of light suggestive of inner heaviness." His assumption that the presence of air is equivalent to an uplifted, bright soul ignores the traditional Biblical belief that the Devil is the ruler of the Kingdom of Air. In the proposed paper I investigate the Biblical origins of Dostoevsky's air symbolism, uncovering its true complexity. I also link these sources to Dostoevsky's use of the symbol as relating to geography and character type in Crime and Punishment. I argue that Dostoevsky introduces air as a symbol to probe the Christian belief that Satan is the ruler of the Kingdom of Air by exploring the areas over which he believed the Devil has kingship. From his association of air with both devil and angel type characters, Dostoevsky links his beliefs about the Devil's kingdom to various geographies. He uses the question of the kingdom of air to reinforce his theme of the inherently dark and evil nature of cities and the healthy, resurrecting effect of the country.

Katharine McCormick (Comparative Literature and Spanish, Class of 2008)
Three Silent Sages and One Blind Bishop: Tolstoy’s Religion in Three Hermits

This paper is an approach to Leo Tolstoy’s Three Hermits that suggests a reading of Tolstoy’s religious visions in accordance with the Biblical allusions present throughout the short story. Through a comparison of the story with Tolstoy’s notes and letters from the 1880s as well as several literary scenes from the Bible and from Tolstoy’s early works, we are able to see the underlying religious and natural theories that effect the transformation of the Bishop and the impartment of a moral lesson in the narrative. This paper will attempt to outline the close association between physical blindness and spiritual ignorance, and that association between silence and nature and true belief. Tolstoy’s own life and observations come into play in defining these associations, as well as several important Gospels and other passages from the Bible. The Bishop’s purported “education” is inextricably linked with religion and civilization; by drawing a parallel between seemingly independent concepts, Three Hermits thereby represents Tolstoy’s ideological visions of Christianity and nature as a unified whole.

Natasha Petrukhin (Sociology and History, Class of 2008)
Christianization of Rus' and Pagan Traditions: Is it all Just Bathhouses at Midnight?

With the Christianization of Rus' under Vladimir, a unique and constantly evolving relationship began to emerge between the pagan elements found in the peasant culture and the top-down enforcement of the new Orthodox Christian religion. This paper intends to discuss the evolution of the double faith phenomenon in relation to the pagan culture, with special emphasis placed on the folk medicines and the superstitions that continue to persist even to this day in Russia. By comparing this period in Medieval Rus’ to its European neighbors, I will attempt to provide an explanation for the unique balance and incorporation that was achieved by examining both the prerequisite existing elements found in the folk culture, and the process that medieval Rus’ needed to undergo in order to integrate a monotheistic religion into a pagan dominated culture. This paper aims at further examining the processes of incorporation and integration that occurred to form both medieval Rus’, and its modern counterpart, Russia.

Christina Watts (International Relations and Russian, Class of 2007)
Christ is Risen: Easter Liturgy as the Pinnacle and Locus of Artistic Expression in Medieval Rus’

Icons, chants, akafists, bells and hymns alone dominated the Russian landscape before European influences added diversity to culture under Peter I. Those unfamiliar with Rus’ian (and Russian) culture might wonder where was the secular art and music to contrast with Orthodox “art”? Instead, religion played the key role in the life of the average person. Orthodox arts are and were not created for aesthetic purposes alone. The primary purpose of each icon, chant and creative work in Orthodox culture is to praise God correctly, beautifully. The ritual of Russian Orthodoxy combined aspects of all senses- sight, smell, sound, touch and taste- to create a fulfilling, memorable experience. I will explore how, through a functional aim, Orthodox culture produced beautiful works of art in many different mediums. Out of all of the celebrations and liturgies during the canonical year, Easter is both the most important holiday and the best display of Orthodox creativity. In this paper, I will argue that the Orthodox Church served as a locus for art, music and creativity in Rus’, with the Easter Liturgy evolving into the highest pinnacle of artistic and religious expression.


KEYNOTE LECTURE

Marc Hoffman (History Graduate Group)
Through Orange-Colored Goggles: Russian and American Images of One Another During the Orange Revolution

Ukraine's Orange Revolution exposed serious divisions, not only within the nation, but also among the international community—above all, between Russia and the United States. During the crisis, pundits on both sides agreed on what was at stake: whether Ukraine would draw closer to Russia, or move towards greater integration with the West. Yet lurking behind their analyses was the specter of a wider struggle. As the crisis mounted, both Russian and American commentators came to see the Orange Revolution as a proxy contest between their two countries. In this contest, the Russian press openly stressed its country's interests, whereas the American press stressed democratic ideals and procedures. In effect, the two sides were speaking mutually incomprehensible political languages. As a result, they grew suspicious of one another's motives and lapsed into stereotype.

As purveyors of crass hyperbole, Americans were the worse offenders. Their interpretations of Russia were more stereotypical—and more hysterically critical—than Russians' interpretations of America. They saw Vladimir Putin's unabashed involvement in Ukrainian politics as illegitimate and menacing—indeed, as a recrudescence of Soviet (or tsarist) imperial ambitions. Out of instinct, therefore, they began turning out hackneyed and overdrawn analogies to the Cold War, which exacerbated the conflict and—as subsequent events have shown—led to inaccurate and grossly optimistic assessments of the revolution's results.

Andrea Biernat (Wharton and Engineering & Applied Science, Class of 2009)
The Effects of Svidrigailov’s Inner Monster in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment

There can be little doubt that Svidrigailov’s character in Crime and Punishment serves as means to understanding the main torments within Raskolnikov. Many critics including Strakhov have suggested that Svidrigailov represents the counterpart to Raskolnikov, a representative of an older generation. In relation to the rest of the novel, Svidrigailov according to Gregory Chulkov represents a crooked mirror to Raskolnikov himself. Though Svidrigailov is portrayed mostly through the eyes of Raskolnikov, he exists not only to serve as a counterpart to Raskolnikov’s journey but also a multifaceted creature. In this paper I shall examine the inner enigma of Svidrigailov’s psyche that reveals an interior struggle of a monster.

Within his own spiritual being, Svidrigailov complexity includes a history of scandal that has bred an inner beast. In this paper, I shall begin with Svidrigailov’s appearance and mannerisms through the eyes of Raskolnikov and how they allude to his inner torment. In all, Dostoevsky conveys Svidrigailov through the eyes of Raskolnikov, distorting the true image of Svidrigailov. Then, I shall examine Svidrigailov’s past though somewhat dignified is plagued with scandals that have kept this inner beast breathing. Even his relationship with his wife Marfa unmasks his monstrous history, the scandals typical to Dostoevsky’s works. In his quest, pleasure and gratification are all that matter, making him a hedonist maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain.
Finally, I shall try to interpret the effect of this inner beast. From his relationship with Dunya, something in Svidrigailov mutates. In parallel to Raskolnikov’s inner torments, Svidrigailov faces another battle and another ending. In the end, his suicide exposes the result of this battle. My essay will at last explore the two contenders of this battle of this inner villain and the eventual winner.

Bing Hu (Biology and Wharton, Class of 2007)
The Shawl Motif in Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky

The symbol of the veil, or shawl, occupies a peculiar place in literature. It is used in the Bible and the ancient Mesopotamian myths of Inanna and Ishtar, in Ovid’s Metamorphosis and in Dante’s Inferno. Among its traditional meanings are chastity, rebirth, and protection. In the present paper, I consider Dostoevsky’s usage of this image within the western cultural tradition, as well as the writer’s ideology. I argue that the theme of the shawl in his Crime and Punishment (1866) symbolizes the inheritance of suffering, or the sickness of the nation in having lost its sense of national brotherhood, which Dostoevsky felt acutely toward the 1860s Russia. Most prominently, the green drap de dames shawl is worn by the main female character Sonya at every important junction in the novel — when she prostitutes herself for the first time, when she follows Raskolnikov to his confession, and in her self-exile in Siberia. Her mother Katerina also dances in this shawl following the death of Marmeladov, and her sister Polenka wears one while searching for her on the street. Most other female characters also appear to possess a shawl or a kerchief at some point in the novel, which further expands the range of its connotations from mystery and truth to shame, mourning, and death.

Sharon Her (Class of 2010)
Problems of Death and Difference in Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina

In this paper, I argue that death functions in Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina to distinguish between two opposing maximalist points of view and to suggest that Tolstoy seeks to show that it is the process of life that is important, rather than the end—both in novelistic narrative and for lived experience itself. On one hand, Anna’s search for meaning in her life, by attempting to reconcile her multiple social identities and relationships, ends in suicide. On the other hand, Levin’s search for the same, through analyzing his existence and his work, achieves a Christian rebirth. Tolstoy presents the reader with Levin’s new view of life, continuing after Anna’s death, to emphasize the importance of overcoming that dangerous search for utopia, a pursuit that leads only to more unhappiness and dissatisfaction. Ironically, reaching beyond utopia is Tolstoy’s ultimate utopian ending; those who survive are those who cease to struggle for a personal paradise.

Julie Steinberg (Class of 2009)
Tolstoy and Truth: The Inadequacies of Language in Anna Karenina

In Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, some of the characters seem to transition seamlessly from Russian to French in various conversations. Is this transition indicative only of French influence on 19th century Russian society, or is there some deeper motive behind these characters' decisions to speak in French?

In this paper, I argue that members of the upper class use French as a way to indicate their social standing in a society that prides itself on its Westernization. Further, I argue that these characters search for authenticity in the French language, because they believe they cannot attain it in Russian. Lastly, I examine Tolstoy's belief that neither French nor Russian can adequately express Truth: an ideal exemplified in Levin, who cannot articulate that which he believes to be true.

Amanda J. Dahler (Bryn Mawr College)
Analysis of the Competition for the Mass Fashion Market in Present-Day Russia

Based on the prevalence of European fashion companies on the Russian mass market, it is pertinent for us to understand the reasons for the major disparity between the popularity of European and Russian brands. Objective: By analyzing the historical factors of mass fashion production and sale in both the European and Soviet tradition and the current situation in Russia, I wish to uncover which business models would work best in the unique economic situation of post-soviet Russia. Methodology: I looked at two major strengths of European fashion retailers in modern-day Russia: the Zara/Inditex business model where clothing is produced close to points of sale in limited quantities and the Bennetton scandal ad campaign as influential in terms of building a company image. I also analyzed two Russian brands successfully competing with their European counterparts: OGGI (adopting a form of the Zara/Inditex model) and InCity (adopting a collaborative design team of Russian and Western advisees). The Zara/Inditex model is most successful in that it can identify a consumer trend, and thanks to the company's semi-vertical integration strategy, manufacture these items for a specified region in only a month's time. Zara sells the majority of its inventory at regular prices, while companies using outsourced labor are forced to make constant mark-downs to ensure their inventory is sold at all. Conclusion: Realizing the importance of building a trusted relationship with the consumer, European companies provided quality goods in up-to-date styles where Russian companies had faltered in the early transition. Because the Zara/Inditex model of quick production located close to points of sale brings more profit (and requires larger investments) than outsourced labor, this model would be the most ideal variant for Russia, stimulating the economy not only in terms of sale but also in terms of production.

Kimberly C. Hsu (International Relations, Class of 2007)
Admiral Sergei Gorshkov's Publications on Soviet Naval Strategy: Soviet Context and American Response

Admiral of the Soviet Navy Sergei Gorshkov served in the capacity of Naval Commander-in-Chief for the thirty years from December 1955 to December 1985, but his legacy largely exists in his two major published works on what he called “naval art.” When he published Red Star Rising (1972) The Sea Power of the State in 1976, the response from those in American academic circles was highly enthusiastic. In the Cold War era, these works were distinguished as a cogent expression of Soviet naval theory amidst a dearth of similar theoretical proclamations from a high-ranking individual behind the "iron curtain." For this reason, Sea Power quickly became recognized as a definitive work on Soviet naval strategy and policy, despite its largely historical content. This paper covers the theoretical foundations of Gorshkov's writings: What did he believe were necessary the tactical developments for the Soviet Navy in order to achieve national strategic goals? Were his writings an authoritative expression of Soviet naval doctrine, or were they simply an expression of his own thought? The paper also examines reactions of the works from Gorshkov's contemporaries in American politics, military, and academia. It puts Gorshkov's works in a historical context by offering modern academic and political implications of the two works.