Anna Bunina (1774-1829) and the Origins of Women's Poetry in Russia

Wendy Rosslyn. Anna Bunina (1774-1829) and the Origins of Women's Poetry in Russia. Studies in Slavic Language and Literature. Vol. 10. Lewiston, NY: Mellen, 1997. xviii, 360 pp. Bibliography. Index. Cloth. Although Wendy Rosslyn considers Anna Bunina accomplished (p. xii), she is not great poet. A conservative in literary matters, Bunina associated closely with the nationalistic, archaistic circle of Admiral A. S. Shishkov. In so doing, she allied herself with what was be the losing side in Russia's literary development in the opening decades of the nineteenth century. Within this coterie, she was overshadowed by Derzhavin, Dmitriev, M. N. Murav'ev and others. Outside it, Bunina competed with literary giants such as Karamzin, Zhukhovsky and then Pushkin. Whatever reputation she had as poet flourished briefly; on death, it almost vanished. Why write book about minor author? Rosslyn indicates that [Bunina] is dead, she wrote books, and nobody has yet written book about her (p. xi). However, this is far from Rosslyn's own view and she has no intention of producing exercise in literary archaeology (p. xi). Rather, she finds in Bunina talented woman who struggled be poet within male-dominated society in which women were discouraged from literary pursuits by education, their perceived roles, and social pressures. Rosslyn's overall purpose is to advance [Bunina's] restoration the history of Russian literature and locate in the culture of time (p. xi). study, then, has three well-developed threads-Anna Bunina's biography, literary career, and life as female poet in Russian society at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Rosslyn's monograph contains an Introduction and ten chapters, the last of which is an Epilogue. first half of the study (Chapters 1-5) follows Bunina's life and literary career 1811, including early years, the death of father in 1802, and move St. Petersburg, obtain an education. There she met Admiral A. S. Shishkov, figure who was influence much of life as writer. Chapters 3-5 cover the most productive and important part of Bunina's career. Central the theme is first published collection of poems, titled with a ritual expression of modesty (p. 101) Inexperienced Muse (1809). This collection marks in many respects the high point of work. paraphrase Rosslyn (p. 127), who presents detailed analysis of selected poems (including To the Youthful Pollux and Cyclops), Inexperienced More shows the range of Bunina's style, from rhetorical pieces poems in informal, conversational modes. Detailed analysis of The Fall of Phaethon (1811), translation of well-known mythological piece from Ovid (Metamorphoses 1.750-778, 2.1-400), forms the focus of Chapter 5. Bunina composed the poem for inaugural reading at Shishkov's Society of the Lovers of the Russian Word. Rosslyn considers the poem pivotal work which showed that Bunina had arrived at artistic maturity (p. 197). second part of Rosslyn's study (Chapters fr-10) traces the long decline of Bunina's literary talents and health, decline that began manifest itself in or around 1811. Chapter 6 is titled Racing with Bound Feet (1811-15), but Rosslyn makes no comment on the oriental associations of the title. It is clear that from this point onwards she views Bunina as someone who must struggle under the handicaps of being woman writer who is also poor and in worsening health. Bunina wrote about the war with France and about death. She tried hand at prose. She wrote little. A second volume of Inexperienced Muse appeared in 1812, but its tone, which combined the romanticism of the first [volume] with rationalism (p. 209) is distinctly didactic. Concerned about health, Bunina undertook yearlong trip health spas in England. On return Russia, the Arzamas society subjected ridicule and vicious personal attacks. …

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