“Women’s world” of a merchant family in the Russian Empire of the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries

The article, based on an analysis of sources of personal origin, examines the “women’s world” in a merchant family as a complex of characteristics that make up a complex dynamic structure, which included the factor of consciousness and individual personal qualities of the merchant’s wife, behavior in everyday life and attitude to various moral values. Possessing a certain worldview and lifestyle, the mistress of a merchant family created a specific socio-cultural reality in it. The merchant women were charged with the responsibility of educating the younger generation in Christian morality, respectful attitude towards elders and methods of social interaction. By forming spiritual and moral attitudes in the process of raising children, implementing functions for housekeeping, maintaining a certain psychological microclimate among household members, participating in philanthropy, merchant wives became actors, that is, active subjects, whose activities were ultimately aimed at maintaining the authority of the merchant family, which positively influenced its business reputation. For citation: Maslova I.V. “Women’s world” of a merchant family in the Russian Empire of the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries. From History and Culture of Peoples of the Middle Volga Region. 2025, vol.15, no.1, pp. 26–37. https://doi.org/10.22378/2410-0765.2025-15-1.26-37 (In Russian)