1905 Russia’s First Revolution

Alexander III: Political Reaction, Empire, and Small Deeds Decimation of The People’s Will, emergence of Social Democratic Party (Bolsheviks and Mensheviks) Era of “small deeds” (Chekhov -- “Ward Number Six”) Irony: Under repressive regime, Western-style civil society, industrialization, capitalism, public sphere start to emerge

Revolution in Artistic Form: Rise of Decadence, Symbolism Great novels of 1870s replaced by small forms, poetry replaces prose “Art for Art’s Sake” replaces social criticism Influence of French decadence, Nietzsche

Nicholas II (1894-1917): The Last Autocrat Incompetent rule from beginning: disastrous coronation celebration Military defeat in Russo-Japanese War Bloody Sunday, January 9, 1905, peaceful demonstration led by Father Gapon on Palace Square fired upon by Cossack Squadrons

Mariia Spiridonova

Questions for Discussion A large a percentage of Russian revolutionary terrorists (anarchists and SRs) were women. Based on your reading of this chapter, what advantages did female terrorists possess? What disadvantages? Voloshin’s poems and non-literary writings inspired by the Spiridonova reflect Russians’ the multiple and ambivalent attitudes toward revolutionary terrorism in 1905-1907. What were these attitudes?