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 Open access under:
CC BY 4.0

A contribution to: Voyages

Edited by Emily Di Dodo and Rachel Hayes

MHRA Working Papers in the Humanities 18

Modern Humanities Research Association

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Abstract.  This paper delves into the depiction of national and gendered identities in Bakunina’s last novel, Li͡ubovʹ k shesterym, with the aim of introducing Ekaterina Bakunina, an overlooked figure of the first-wave Russian emigration to Paris. As a woman writer with a background in law and science, Bakunina stands out from her female contemporaries with her focus on the authentic physicality and sexuality of the woman, and her emphasis on the loss of identity, particularly gender identity, makes her an important voice in the interwar diaspora. By analysing Bakunina’s work, the article uncovers an evolution in her writing style from a portrayal of the experiences of Russian emigration to a more universal depiction of the position of women in society. The article focuses primarily on the two tiers of identity: national and gender and reveals a surprising similarity in their structures as well as an interesting interplay between the two.

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