Genre Characteristics, Functions and Transformations in 19th-Century Russian Women’s Diary Writing: The Diaries of A. P. Kern (1800–1879) and E. A. Stakenschneider (1836–1897)

For a long time, the diary was the only literary space accessible to women. For them, it was not just a kind of text that collected their daily records. It was a means of creating their self-image, expressing their literary talent, and reflecting on the cultural codes that marginalize them to the periphery of society. These functions and the close connection between diary writing and the female universe were also relevant in 19th-century Russia. This article aims to analyse the genre and thematic constants and transformations in Russian women’s diary prose of the time. The study examines and compares the life journals of Anna Petrovna Kern (1800–1879) and Elena Andreevna Stakenschneider (1836–1897), written respectively in the first and second half of the 19th century. Anna Petrovna and Elena Andreevna are best known for their connection with some of the most significant authors of Russian literature. The name of A. P. Kern is always associated with A. S. Pushkin, while E. A. Stakenshneider was a friend of F. M. Dostoevsky. However, the two women were also the authors of interesting diaries. This article highlights the similarities and differences in the narrative strategies and in the treatment of various themes (family, literature, self-portraiture, role of the women) in these ego-documents. At the same time, the analysis shows the role of the diary in the diarists’ lives. They used their journals to conduct their existential self-exploration and to record their protesting voice against the “unjust” (patriarchal) reality surrounding them.