The “ah Yes, Mysterious Russian Soul. No Wonder They Don’t Protest“ Is A Laugh Riot, That’s Helluva

the “ah yes, mysterious russian soul. no wonder they don’t protest“ is a laugh riot, that’s helluva true ㅠㅠ

Hey, I read your post about the difference between Ukrainian and russian literature, with a couple of quotes that looked really promising. Could you tell me what books or poems was quoted? And if you have the will, could you list Ukrainian literature references? I know Russian invested a lot to get their literature translated and I think it is time we make Ukrainian literature more known.

Hi! Thank you for the ask. I suppose you’re talking about this post, so here are the quotes mentioned in it, as well some links to Ukrainian literature.

“Ти знаєш, що ти людина” means “Do you know that you are human”. It’s from a poem by a Ukrainian poet Vasyl Symonenko (full English translation here). In the USSR, a human was just a screw in the system, easily replaceable. The Soviets didn’t care about individual people, only about the whole. You were supposed to die for the sake of the system if need be. And Symonenko’s poem is the opposite. It reminds us that each of us unique, that every human deserves happiness and freedom. The poet died after he was beaten up by the local militsya.

“Тварь ли я дрожащая или право я имею» is something like “Am I a trembling beast or do I have the right” is a quote from Raskolnikov, the protagonist of “Crime and Punishment” by russian writer Dostoyevsky. Raskolnikov says this as he thinks he has more rights than others and is superior to them. He divides humanity in two categories: those who have the right (who don’t need to care about laws and rules) and “trembling beasts” (who must be slaves).

“Борітеся й поборете” means “Keep fighting — you are sure to win!” It is from a poem “Caucasus” by Taras Shevchenko, the most famous Ukrainian poet. Full english translation. At the time of the writing, the russian empire was at war in the Caucasus region. Russia said that this war is actually needed to give the locals “the civilisation”, “russian laws” etc. Shevchenko gives a satirical characterisation of the empire and calls out against the war. He also encourages the locals to fight with the quote above, because “the right is on their side”.

Another writer who described the russian war in Caucasus is a famous and largely celebrated russian poet Mikhail Lermontov and his poem “Izmail Bey”. “Пускай я раб, но раб царя вселенной” - “Maybe I’m a slave, but I’m the slave of the ruler of the world”. Ah yes, the mysterious russian soul. No wonder they don’t protest.

Lermontov also wrote a poem glorifying a gang rape by the military. Here’s a video with English subtitles about Lermontov and what the hell was that poem (TW for the poem. 18+)

Ukrainian literature was always about fight for freedom, because that’s what our people always wanted more than anything. Meanwhile russian literature justifies imperialism all the time.

Links to translations of Ukrainian literature (for free!)

I am (romance) by Mykola Khvyliovyi, a psychological novel about Bolshevik revolution

Forest song (english, polish) by Lesia Ukrainka, a drama about mythological creatures in a Ukrainian forest

The city(part 1, part 2)by Valerian Pidmohylnyi, an urban novel. Recreates the atmosphere of Kyiv

Eneida by Ivan Kotliarevskyi is a parody of the classic poem where the Greek heroes are Ukrainian cossacks, describing Ukrainian customs and traditions

Zakhar Berkut by Ivan Franko is a historical novel about the struggle of ancient Carpathian communities against the Mongol invasion

Enchanted Desna by Oleksandr Dovzhenko is a cinematic novel that consists of short stories about the daily life of the author as a child in a Ukrainian village.

Tiger Trappers by Ivan Bahrianyi - a story of a political prisoner who escaped Gulag and lives in taiga with local hunters. One of my personal favourites.

Poems and stories by Ivan Franko

Contemporary Ukrainian literature in English (not for free)

What we live for, what we die for by Serhiy Zhadan - selected poems by a Ukrainian musician and poet

Apricots of Donbas by Lyuba Yakimchuk - about the East of Ukraine

The voices of Babyn Yar by Marianna Kiyanovska about the history of Babyn Yar in Kyiv

Life went on anyway by Oleg Sentsov, who was kidnapped from his home in the occupied Crimea and forced to go through a russian military trial

Fieldwork in Ukrainian sex by Oksana Zabuzhko

Also here you can buy a book “Torture camp on paradise street” by Stanislav Aseyev, who survived a russian concentration camp and described what it was like.

Donate to Ukraine

United 24: General fundraising

Come Back Alive: Specific projects

Prytula foundation: Specific projects

Dzyga’s Paw: General fundraising (animal themed 🐶)

They need all the help they can get.

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nuguyami

2 years ago

YES YES YES AND MILLION MORE YESES

your character’s the damsel in distress. how’s that workin’ out?

this trope depicts women as helpless, let’s be real here.

thread by @fictionalturtlenecks <3

— all I see of this trope are women who are desperate for their prince charming/knight in shining armour to come & save them from certain doom when they could easily save themselves… we’re not helpless, y’know.

if you’re making ONLY girls the victims in your story, I think there’s a problem (typecasting/sexism)

has misogynistic origins. & it’s rare to see it as something progressive

teaches girls that they need a man to save them when they’re in trouble

I just want to see the girl NOT being the one who has to be saved. it seems like a stereotypical gender role

it can be written well! especially if the girl is also saving others & is in a situation where it makes sense for her to be the one saved

please no “she needs saving! even though she can do it herself! we need the love interest to help when they don’t need to!”

it should show more women that can fight & be independent. they don’t have to rely on some guy to save them in every single situation

I seriously cannot express how much I hate this trope; it’s usually sexist, it just is

it always has to be a female character. give me men that need help too!

it’s not the worst thing. there could be worse tropes.

it gives young girls the idea that they’re helpless, that they need to wait for their prince charming.

it makes younger boys think that they need a submissive woman, not capable of doing anything herself.

HOW LONG DOES SHE HAVE TO WAIT TO BE SAVED?

what would be cool is if the roles were reversed. if it wasn’t a guy & a girl. the possibilities are endless.

why does the girl never do anything to save herself? why does the girl have no basic intelligence? if we’re going to be writing that, can we factor that in?

unless you give it a twist like they did in shrek because that was perfect

make it male version & a little less “in distress” or less “helpless” (it would be an interesting idea)

while it’s a controversial trope, if written in a way where it’s not too helpless it would be a good trope.

at least give her a good reason why she can’t save herself

it makes the character seem like they’re not independent

women are girlbosses & we don’t need men. this trope can d!e. might reconsider if it’s wlw

this trope was ages—& I mean AGES—ago. these days, it’s offensive & misogynistic

suggests that women are helpless & require (usually) a man to save them

I hate when a female fighter is turned into a damsel for no good reason

more male characters being in distress that doesn’t make them “less manly” or whatever

as long as the girl isn’t a complete shell of a human being

it can be a lot of fun if we see the “damsel” trying to figure out how to escape. if they just sit there passively & wait to be rescued, it’s very dull.

there was too much of this before the 2000s, but now w/ so many “girlboss” protagonists, it feels like it’s become cool to refuse help

everyone, regardless of gender, should be feeling safe & comfy w/ receiving help

sometimes problems in life are easier to solve w/ more people

STOP associating the damsel in distress trope w/ romance

it doesn’t always have to be a guy who is giving the help. it can be a girl or themself!!

as long as the damsel isn’t the only female & there are competent women too

negative version of the maiden archetype. to become a hero, she must learn to save herself

male characters as the “damsel”? yes please

the takes on this trope where the cliché is twisted in some way >

more linked to classics & disney, definitely not necessary anymore. fairly outdated

it would be funny to put a man as the damsel in distress for once

it’s highly outdated & promotes both male saviourism & the idea that all women are helpless

“I’m a damsel. I’m in distress. I can handle this. have a nice day.”

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nuguyami

11 months ago

russians are an exceptional case of minor in their mentality citizens of great in it’s size empire. given their attitude, it’s absolutely embarrassing to even call em people. in Ukrainian worldview, to be called person is to be conscious of your own actions, aware of basic principles of your own freedom, respect each and everyone’s personal boundaries (and country borders, if such is the case, tho :] ). this set of values it the bare minimum for self-respecting and self-worthy human being. russians will barely tick one of the boxes. and barely’s already exaggerated word for whatevs their outlook is

ukraine may be fighting the biggest modern empire in the world that wants to take its colony back to oppress and subjugate its people and culture as it has been for CENTURIES but that still not anti-imperialistic enough for some people