Life under Russian Serfdom: The Memoirs of Savva Dmitrievich Purlevskii, 1800-1868 / Edition 1

by Boris B. Gorshkov

Overview

This is a translation of one of very few Russian serfs' memoirs. Savva Purlevskii recollects his life in Russian serfdom and life of his grandparents, parents, and fellow villagers. He describes family and communal life and the serfs' daily interaction with landlords and authorities. Purlevskii came from an initially prosperous family that later became impoverished. Early in his childhood, he lost his father. Purlevskii did not have a chance to gain a formal education. He lived under serfdom until 1831 when at the age of 30 he escaped his servitude.Gorshkov's introduction provides some basic knowledge about Russian serfdom and draws upon the most recent scholarship. Notes provide references and general information about events, places and people mentioned in the memoirs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789637326158
Publisher:	Central European University Press
Publication date:	04/28/2005
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	897,087
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.02(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Boris B. Gorshkov is Assistant Professor of History at the Department of History and Philosophy of Kennesaw State University. He is interested in global and comparative history.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Notes on the Translation
Preface
Introduction
Our Village, Its Inhabitants and Owners
My Grandfather
Myself, My Childhood, and My Family
And My Adult Life Began...
My Marriage, My Landlord, My Trade, and Other Things
Life outside the Village Observed
The Bitterness of Serfdom Realized
My Activities in Estate Life
My Future Fate Resolved
Epilogue

Editorial Reviews

"A fascinating autobiography of a self-made serf-entrepreneur, originally published in 1877... The book - elegantly printed by the Central European University Press and illuminated with nineteenth-century miniatures of peasant life - will surely provide an attractive teaching material for the courses on pre-Reform Russian history, as well as a good read for all those interested in social history of Russia"—Russian Review

From the Publisher