Throughout the existence of the Communist regime in Russia that reigned from 1918 to 1989, many cinematic productions were made to highlight certain key areas of not only the Russian Revolution, such as Sergei Eisentien's "October", but also to identify many key characteristics of the individual that is placed amidst such a transition. Aleksandr Askoldov's 1967 production of "The Commissar" is arguably the most famous film portraying the various circumstances and conditions of individuals amidst the revolution. He focuses on a female commissar named Vavilova who, along with her Red army military unit, believe firmly in the communist revolution and are engaged in a civil war with tsar loyalists and various western troops known as the White army. Whilst Vavilova represents a strong, dominant and brutish depiction of women that is made clearly apparent very early on in the film, Askoldov also presents another portrayal of women through the character of Mariya, a traditional Jewish wife and mother of six. Askoldov enhances the depiction of women through the character of Vavilova herself who, as the film progresses, seems to transform from her hard exterior shown in the beginning of the film, into a more traditional woman such as Mariya. However, whilst it is conceivable to believe that Vavilova has transformed herself due to becoming a mother and living with a simple but loving family and away from the harshness and brutality of war, Yefim, Mariya's husband, suggests that Vavilova's feminine qualities have always existed, but have always been deeply buried, "#Does putting on breeches make you a man?." This suggests that Vavilova was forced to place a hard exterior around her in order to survive s...
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...ova as a traditional woman wanting to care for her son. However the distinct difference between Vavilova and Mariya is that whilst Mariya is an excellent mother and supporting wife who is content and used to waiting on better days, Vavilova seeks out the best for her and her son by sacrificing her happiness and perhaps her life for the greater good. It is this sacrifice of her life that finally depicts Vavilova for her true self. She is in essence the total woman who is a loving mother and devout solider.
Bibliography
· Elena Stishova, The Mythologization of Soviet Woman, The Commissar and other cases
· Maria Deppermann, The Genealogy of the Woman Commissar in Soviet Culture, University of Innsbruck
· Aleksandr Askoldov, The Commissar, 1967
· http://www.berdichev.org/comissar.html
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Mukhina, Irina. “Experiencing Russia's Civil War: Politics, Society, And Revolutionary Culture In Saratov, 1917 – 1922.” Journal Of Social History 3 (2005): 780. Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.
New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Olitskaia, Ekaterina. “My Reminiscences,” from In the Shadow of Revolution: Life Stories of Russian Women from 1917 to the Second World War. Edited by Sheila Fitzpatrick and Yuri Slezkine. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2000.
Before World War I, women assisted the military during wartime mainly as nurses and helpers. Some women, however, did become involved in battles. Molly Pitcher, a Revolutionary War water carrier, singlehandedly kept a cannon in action after a artillery crew had been disabled. During the
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The memoir gives a unique perspective of the noblewoman in this period of Russian society. A male-centered society made it difficult for women to shape and control their lives, however it was possible through means of gaining respect. The society respected woman who had a virtuous demeanor. Especially, those who lived with an immoral spouse and still were able to show virtuous characteristics. Anna is able to gain the respect of people higher in authority than her husband receiving special treatment for various requests. Through her marriage, she recognizes that her husband has rights that she doesn’t have in shaping and controlling her life privately and especially publicly. This society causes for women to depend on men completely.
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Fitzpatrick, Sheila, and Yuri Slezkine. "N.I. Slavnikova Et Al. "Speeches by Stakhanovites"" In the Shadow of Revolution: Life Stories of Russian Women from 1917 to the Second World War. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2000. 331-41. Print.
If one takes a closer look at the issues surrounding the differences between the male and female roles in the workforce and in education, one will notice that women tend to be one step below men on the "status" or "importance" ladder.
Women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions in the public and private sector. Many countries have responded to this issue by implementing gender quotas for political seats and corporate boardroom positions. This paper reviews the stereotype beliefs that women leaders are faced with which serve as barriers for the attainment of high-power leadership positions. There is incomplete information on the identification of qualified women leaders and thus most likely the persistence of the stereotypes against women leaders. Greater exposure to qualified women leaders would reduce the gender bias and provide them with greater access to high-power leadership positions. Studies in France, the United Kingdom, and Argentina demonstrate that quotas increase female leadership and influence policy outcomes. Pros and cons to the implementation of mandatory gender quotas for publically listed companies in the United States are identified. Due to the relatively new initiatives of gender equality through quotas, longer-term effects are still to be determined.