“Russia Loves Her Poets, but She loves Her Poet Sons More than Her Poet Daughters…” (“Sophia Parnok, The LIfe and Work of Russia’s Sappho”, by Diana Lewis Burgin, New York University Press, New York and London, 1994
In the minds and hearts of most Russians, including memoirists of either sex, male geniuses in interest and importance; male excellence, strength, and even mediocrity consistently are preferred to female excellence and strength. On December 6, 1895, the great writer Anton Chekhov, whose stories have gained him a reputation the world over for humane attitudes,…