Femininity Sides in Russian Symbolism
In the article understanding of the essence and representation of femininity in Russian symbolism is analyzed. Sides of femininity are comprehended in the aspect of manifestation of a multiple-valued phenomenon of femininity, binary opposition feminine / masculine, «borders» and «frontier» of femininity in painting, poetry and creative life of symbolists. Femininity cult sources in symbolism are regarded, they are: aesthetics of romanticism, Platon's philosophy and Neoplatonism, national poetic representations and European traditions. The special attention is paid to the aesthetics of decadence which created the refined perception of femininity in art. The main tendencies of understanding femininity sides are designated: idealization of the image of the woman and creation of the image of the woman-defect. The attention to ambivalences of femininity sides, variability and frontier of the woman's face in painting and poetry of symbolism is focused on. The author finds a tendency of interpretation of femininity sides in the context of opposition and comparison of feminine and masculine, which was more brightly presented in the development of «female» literature at the turn of the ХГХ-ХХ centuries. The understanding of femininity sides leads to mystifications and staging of behaviour in the Russian symbolism and influences formation of modernist aesthetics of diversity and infinity of the creative person out of the gender borders and stereotypes.