2018-02-03T17:20:00Z The letter F. An envelope. Merchants preferred to live in an insulated environment: the vast majority of merchants’ wives were also the daughters of merchants, who had grown used to calculations and imbibed the spirit of commerce since a young age. The children of clergy made up a large portion of the so-called raznochintsy, a social group that had a great influence on Russian history and culture, which was made up of educated individuals who lacked either nobility or sufficient material means from their families. Women often specialized in producing goods, such as dairy products, beer, or sausage, or they provided services like midwifery. They were expected to unwaveringly fulfill their duties. Nonetheless, research on the family comes out with impressive regularity. Peter the Great reinforced the obligation of a nobleman to serve his monarch, while also essentially making the noble ranks accessible to non-nobles (through education or service). Old men and women told their children fairy tales, local stories, interesting anecdotes, and various legends; they taught them how to act in the most varied situations. Russian culture is non-individualistic. Emotions weren’t regarded as a good reason for choosing a model of behavior—if anything they were seen as the opposite. Overcrowding, the lack of sanitation, the absence of proper medical help, and poor supervision of children—all these things contributed to the fact that on 3 or 4 out of the 8-13 children born to a peasant family would survive to adulthood. When a child is born, the young family receives support in the amount of 343,387 rubles (approximately $11,000 in 2010). Family life and family ties were especially important in the lives of the clergy. Children could internalize these rules by watching their elders; they would consciously or unconsciously adopt their manner of conduct—and with it, their worldview. The new generation of women value personal independence and want to rule their lives. The Russian family is dependent upon all its members. Among the peasantry, the concept of “family” extended beyond a married couple and their children. Every family member, including the youngest, had household obligations, which they needed to perform to their fullest abilities. This meant that the adults’ sexual lives, their arguments, and difficult moments were not hidden from the children. After divorce, the father helps support his children till they turn 18 years old—the age when a child is considered and adult in Russia. The clergy has long been a respected part of Russian society. A peasant’s life depended on the yearly cycle of farm labor. Life expectancy for … Popular consciousness in Russia associates merchant families with the values recorded in the Domostroy and the plays of Alexander Ostrovsky. After marriage, her status would change: she would be considered a grown woman and gain much greater freedom—although her husband would have no less authority over her than her father had before. Village women were married off at a young age—they could be betrothed at the age of 16. If the nobles and landowners knew the common people and could come to an understanding with them, many intellectuals and populists were completely unfamiliar with the real Russian peasantry. Thus, a bride maintained a right to her dowry without exception. Nonetheless, societal powers could interfere in family affairs if a man terribly abused his power or neglected his responsibilities as head of the family. An uneducated nobleman was a barbarian. During harvest times, during times of sowing or reaping, only very young children or enfeebled old folks stayed home, even on the hottest days. Most families live in small apartments, often with 2 or 3 generations sharing little space. It was precisely the wealthy, God-fearing, and knowledgeable merchants who sponsored the construction of hospitals, conservatories, schools, and museums. Incidentally, the merchant class gradually accepted the idea that higher education was a virtue rather than a temptation: in the beginning of the 19th century the Moscow Commercial School and Moscow Commercial Academy both opened. Turns out, babushkas are real—it's … Village life was based upon unwritten laws—a large number of customs and superstitions that were regarded seriously. During harvest times, during times of sowing or reaping, only very young children or enfeebled old folks stayed home, even on the hottest days. It is the most widely spoken Slavic language, with 1.39 million people speaking it as their native language and tens of millions more using it as a second language. Mark Abadi. A young woman who cast doubt on her own reputation would bring shame not only upon herself, but also upon her family—and she wouldn’t be the only one to lose a chance at family life, as her sisters would also fall under suspicion. Prices of restaurants, food, transportation, utilities and housing are included. Fathers and husbands had complete control over their wives and children; their word was law. Boys were then sent to a technical school, but merchants were reluctant to send their kids to preparatory schools for fear that they would be tempted to ditch the family business. Education in peasant families was primarily devoted to professional habits, to religious studies (the most widespread prayers and stories from Scripture), and to the ethical norms of peasant life. Recently however, Russian life expectancy has again begun to rise. | One of the most popular stereotypes is that of the Russian babushka, a short, old granny with a scarf wrapped around her head. Living in the historical center is considered to be prestigious, but the poor quality of air, the traffic situation, exorbitant prices and the prevalence of commercial buildings make a lot of streets a questionable win. 16. A typical day in the life of a Russian family - Типичный день из жизни российской семьи New words - Новые слова родители - parents мама - mom папа - dad мать - mother отец - father сын - son дочь - daughter бабушка - grandma дедушка - grandfather All the Russian food. The Peasantry. Mortality. A merchant’s widow would have been entirely capable of conducting business on her own until her children were old enough to take over. But when you get to eat Russian food more often than during occasional visit … Both the mother and father typically work, and children go to school (where they typically learn English and other languages) to prepare them for university. This portal is an information resource for those with a personal or professional interest in Russian language, culture, history, science or education. Russians live in small apartments in large blocks, with 2-3 generations living together. Family life, for centuries, has been at the forefront of Russian life and culture. The father was considered a demigod and absolute ideal; he controlled everything in the house.  RSS As a result, the lives of merchants are often thought to be behind the times and overly calculated. The starting place to learn the Russian language on the Internet. What’s more, a second marriage was impossible, since a priest was considered a widower for his whole life. A priest could not marry a widow or an actress. Centuries-old traditions and customs of the Russian people. The reason for this was simple: the noblewoman’s sphere of service was the family, while the nobleman mainly served society. Noble families generally did not spoil their children or bend to their wishes. 117218, Russian Federation, Husbands worked in the fields, tended livestock, worked at a craft, or were merchants. The target group of this portal includes a wide range of people with historical, academic, personal or business ties with Russia, people who have a sense of affinity for the Russian world – Russkiy Mir – living not only in Russia but around the world. At a certain age, young men were sent to study in the institutions of higher education, and then they would enter into state service (which could be civil or military). The Amish family is the foundation of the Amish way of life. How parents raise their children is one of the main ways in which culture and tradition are conveyed from generation to generation. Одежда (clothing) A typical Russian person has about 2-3 good sweaters, 2-3 decent pairs of pants, and a couple of shirts/tops/dresses. Most families are small, often with only one child because most women must also work outside of the house in addition to bearing sole responsibility for household and childrearing chores. The lifestyles and habits of the nobles and intelligentsia changed with the times and fashions, but merchant families were able to maintain the order instituted by their ancestors—and they didn’t tire of it. No one gave a thought about the psychological problems that could result from this overcrowding, and peasants virtually spent their whole lives being watched by other people, including children. Russia - Russia - Daily life and social customs: During the Soviet era most customs and traditions of Russia’s imperial past were suppressed, and life was strictly controlled and regulated by the state through its vast intelligence network. They then traded these products or services with other women fo… Hired specialists, who were usually foreigners, were in charge of their early home education. Banya (Russian sauna) new 4. Moscow, Ulitsa Krzhizhanovskogo 13, corpus 2, Alexander Veraksa: Our Children are More Successful Than Many of Their Peers in Other Countries, Vasily Lanovoy – The Soldier of Great Era, IT Kingdom in Russia that few people know, Wolfgang Schälike: Our Goal is to Popularize Dostoevsky in Germany, Russian writers as social media influencers, Russian Ministry of Education and Science, Russian Association of Russian Language and Literature Teachers (MAPRYAL), Russian Society of Russian Language and Literature Teachers (ROPRYAL). According to Russian tradition, people can die in two ways: good or bad. For many Russian women cooking is a way to show their love, so be prepared for food experiments. The family life is built on dependence, and Russians are attached to their family members. Parents took care of their education and upbringing, but they regarded them as little grown-ups, without making allowances. Another way of acquiring a parish was to marry a priest’s daughter. What phrases are used to begin and finish Russian business letters? In comparison to noble daughters, young peasant women enjoyed unlimited freedom. If a priest’s wife conducted herself in an inappropriate way, he was expected to leave her or become a monk. A famous Russian saying is, "One is not a soldier in the battlefield." A. Riabushkin. The domestic work in the house was directed by the “mistress”—usually the mother-in-law, who ordered about the women in the house, especially any young and inexperienced daughters-in-law. A girl’s education wasn’t limited to sewing, weaving, worship, and keeping after the house. As soon as he was born, the Russian nobleman already had a purpose and destiny. He was destined for service, specifically for government service. 3. Music and dance were required subjects. Mistakes, bad habits, and personal failings transformed the priest’s family into a shameful parable. A young noblewoman was expected to marry; otherwise, she would be in the sad position of an old maid. Russian Dinner. He had ancestors, whom he doubtlessly knew and honored, and his behavior had to maintain a standard that would not possibly stain the family’s honor, but instead would increase it as much as possible. Russian culture contains many superstitions about how people die and these superstitions have endured throughout the centuries. From a very young age, noble children were obliged to learn how to control their impulses, bad moods, fears, and desires. Discover Russian traditions, gift ideas, fashion trends, games, jokes, toasts, and everything else that is typical of Russia and its people. Family Portrait Indoors, 1840s (Unknown Artist). On average in the Russian Federation, girls outperformed boys by 8 points, higher than the average OECD gap of 2 points. Now the reasons why it’s hugely important may be obvious. My Yahoo! As a result, the only fenced-off, gardened house the average Russian city-dweller stays in is the family dacha (unless he/she is a multi-millionaire with a suburban mansion). Russia is indeed a unique country, which, along with highly developed modern culture carefully preserves the national traditions deeply rooted not only in the Orthodox religion but also in paganism. | They could depend only upon their hands and head. “He who receives much may be asked of much”—such was the unwritten credo of the nobility. A 17th-century Merchant’s Family, 1896. Archaism and Pragmatism. If a priest’s son didn’t have any other prospects, he was sent into the army. Politicians are considered pro-family values if they vote for continued government support for: • Universal, accessible medical care. Another 1% of Russians follow other religions, while 8% are atheists. The Merchant Class. So were those who stayed with their father until the age of 15 without receiving the required education. The well-balanced structure of the peasant world was based on deeply archaic principles: it would be very difficult for someone of today to understand how it was possible to live in a19th-century village, just as a peasant who made his way into a major city would have been at a total loss for how to live in this giant anthill. Portrait of a Priest and a Deacon (Deacons. The keyword to Russian family life is dependence. In 2012, 1,043,292, or 55% of all deaths in Russia were caused by cardiovascular disease. Patriarchal noble families did not dispose one to sensitivity and tenderness. It was entirely natural for a priest’s son to proceed to a seminary and then to become a priest, while a daughter would eventually marry another priest. There’s nothing surprising about this: families are what make up a society. The Russian peasant household could not afford to feed someone who didn’t work, so everyone labored. Copyright 2001-2021 MasterRussian.com | Privacy The merchants’ way of life was guided by society, and their conduct needed to be approved by respected people—either representatives of the government or elite merchants. Love, if it appeared at all, came after marriage, not before. In Russia, women enjoyed a certain amount of economic freedom in comparison with Europe. I initially planned a separate post about the Russian dinner, but quickly understood that Russian dinner is very similar to the Russian lunch. If her husband was a spendthrift and conducted his affairs unreasonably, his wife could file a complaint against him to preserve her own and her children’s interests. When we generalize and say that the Japanese act this way, or Australians do it this way, or the French do that, we’re talking about habits and attitudes that are first learned in the home. WORD OF THE DAY Husband and wife labored together to sustain the family, but at quite separate tasks. Children learned to work from a very early age. There is a special program in Russia that supports construction of housing for young couples and provides favorable terms for home loans. For the Russian nobleman—who was most often not very well-off—the very idea of nobility was tied to education, upbringing, and duty. The next 2-3 days we will see life in the typical Russian provinces visiting small towns of the famous Golden ring of Russia. There is certainly some truth to this: However much the merchant class contributed to the development of Russian society, it always preferred stability and respectability as the guiding principle for its own affairs. Russian folk characters are very colorful, and they also betray ancient pagan roots: for example, the Baba Yaga is a witch-like old woman who lives in the forest in a house that rests on chicken legs and is surrounded by skulls and bones. A typical day in the life of a person living in Moscow — from what they eat for breakfast to how they spend their free time. This family was built on the principle of strict hierarchy and patriarchy. These families are called многодетные (large families) and receive discounts on electricity, gas, water, education and public transport. Russia has a rich tradition of folk tales that derive from a number of Slavic myths and traditions, according to de Rossi. At the same time, she was obligated to run the household irreproachably in order to free her husband from all concerns and allow him to fully devote himself to his profession. Family life. Russian Hospitality 3. Reception), 1907. Russian Superstitions Moscow is a huge city (~14 Mln people) and traffic in the city is terrible.So, living closer to the center is convenient, since that way you lose less time for commuting. For the parish priest, the family was one of the most important parts of his life. They taught languages, etiquette, and good manners. Marriages were forged primarily for economic reasons, and only secondarily for companionship. Samovars 5. • Family allowances paid to parents of young children to help them with the costs of raising children. They were able to stand in for their husbands if he needed to leave on business. The roots of this situation are in the way of being. Gatherings with young men, strolls, conversations—even premarital relations were not seen as especially sinful; they were even accepted in some areas on the condition that the traditional wedding “crown covers everything.” But women, and only women, were punished harshly for marital affairs. When you study the history of a particular family, you inadvertently come to know the history of a generation. Many Russian families bring up three or more children. Merchants had sons in order to continue the family business—and they didn’t ask for the child’s opinion in the matter. In general, there were fewer parishes than potential priests. A “g… Meanwhile, they were helped out by special diocesan schools for priest’s daughters, where young women not only received a general education, but also learned Old Church Slavonic, singing, and the rules and history of the Church. Policy | Contact Us. Much the opposite: children were harshly disciplined. If a young woman had the honor to be a lady-in-waiting in the imperial court, she would fulfill these obligations until she was married, and then, as a rule, she would be let go. If the representatives of other social groups had plenty of time and opportunity to find and get to know a bride, the clergy were deprived of this possibility. One who rudely broke the code of conduct could lose note only the respect of those around him, but his very status as a nobleman. They could then enter the petit bourgeoisie, peasantry, or merchant class. Just as the priest was supposed to be a moral compass for his parishioners, his wife was supposed to provide a model for women. For Russian families, a “good” death is one that comes naturally at the end of one’s life. Merchant wives and daughters were eager to keep up with fashions, especially since they had the money for it. Widow and widowers were allowed to follow their hearts, but parents chose brides for their sons’ first marriages, even if they were relatively mature. The children may stay with either their mother or father but it's more common for mothers to keep bringing them up. Grooms were generally a couple years older than the brides, but they could also be younger if the marriage were in the interest of the household (for instance, if it could make a tie to a rich family). Divorce and remarriage were allowed to the layperson (although not without difficulties), but it was unthinkable for a priest. Those who didn’t go to seminary, or were expelled from there, were excluded from the clergy.