A unique cultural monument remained to contemporaries from the inhabitants of ancient Rus'. Compiled in the 16th century, the book was the only correct guide not only for those who build a house. She was taken as a basis in matters of housekeeping. What is “Domostroy”, what was it for our ancestors and what is its significance for historians? Let's try to figure it out.
Encyclopedia of Ancient Rus'
“Domostroy” is a set of rules and advice for every day. He united the spiritual and the worldly. It’s not for nothing that it became the first “Encyclopedia of Household Economy” - that’s what “Domostroy” is.
Some foreigners are mistakenly confident that the contents of Domostroy are known to all residents of Russia without exception.
The emergence of Domostroy
In the 16th century, the number of handwritten books increased. They were very valuable. Instead of parchment, paper was successfully used, which was delivered to Russia from Europe. Therefore, the creation of “Domostroi” could be either in handwritten form or in printed form. Some researchers report two versions of the ancient encyclopedia. One of them has a very ancient style, strict, but correct and wise. And the second is crammed with rigid and strange orders.
Domostroy appeared (the year of creation is not known for certain) in the first half of the 16th century in Veliky Novgorod.
The predecessors were such Slavic collections with teachings and recommendations as “Chrysostom”, “Izmaragd”, “The Golden Chain”.
In Domostroy, all previously published knowledge and norms were generalized. Studying the “Teaching” of Monomakh, one can find many similarities in the rules of moral behavior of different eras.
Who owns the authorship?
Opinions differ about the creators of the unique encyclopedia. Some researchers are sure that the author of “Domostroy” is Ivan the Terrible’s confessor, Archpriest Sylvester. He created a book for the king's instruction. Others believe that Sylvester merely rewrote Domostroy in the mid-16th century.
It is worth studying the contents of this book on housekeeping in order to understand what it obliged and why it was so revered by the church. If we take Sylvester’s creation as a basis, then it has a preface, a message from son to father and almost 70 (more precisely 67) chapters. They were reunited into main sections devoted to the spiritual, worldly, family, and cooking.
Almost all chapters have a close connection with Christian rules and commandments. After the “father’s order to his son,” the next chapter talks about how Christians correctly believe in the Holy Trinity and the Most Pure Mother of God. It tells how to venerate holy relics and holy powers.
The book places great importance on the veneration of the king and any ruler, which united the importance of the church and the ruler for the people.
Advice from father to son
I would like to get acquainted with the book “Domostroy”, the summary of which is described above, in a little more detail.
A special place is occupied by the most important instruction of “Domostroy” - the commandment of the father. Turning to his son, he first of all blesses him. Next, he instructs his son, his wife and children to live according to Christian laws, with truth and a clear conscience, believing and keeping the commandments of God. The father gives these lines to his son and his household and emphasizes: “if you do not accept this scripture, you will answer for yourself on the Day of Judgment.”
It contains majesty, wisdom and pride. Such instructions would be relevant at any time. After all, all parents wish their children well, they want to see them as honest, merciful and worthy people. Modern youth often do not hear such phrases from their fathers and mothers. And Domostroy, the year of its creation fell during a period of special veneration of God, put everything in its place. This is a law that must be followed, period. It was not questioned. He placed all family members on their “steps,” determined the relationships between them and, most importantly, united them. This is what Domostroy is.
Honor and obedience to father and mother
Children are strictly prohibited from quarreling with their parents, insulting them and condemning them. All instructions must be carried out unquestioningly, without discussing what the parents said.
All children must love their father and mother, obey them, honor their old age and obey them in everything. Those who disobey will face damnation and excommunication. And children who pay obedience to their father and mother have nothing to fear - they will live in goodness and without misfortune.
The chapter is filled with wisdom and respect for the individual. It reminds us of the inseparability of the future and the past, and that honoring parents is the strength of the entire society. Unfortunately, this is not promoted now as the truth and the norm. Parents have lost authority for their children.
About needlework
In those distant times, honest work was highly revered. Therefore, the rules of Domostroy affected the conscientious and high-quality execution of any work.
Those who lie, work dishonestly, steal, and do not do good for the good of society were condemned. Before starting any work, it was necessary to cross yourself and ask for a blessing from the Lord, and bow down to the saints three times. Any handicraft (cooking, storing supplies, handicrafts) must begin with clean thoughts and washed hands.
Everything done with pure thoughts and desire will benefit people. Is it possible to argue with this?..
Domostroy ban
With the advent of the new government in 1917, this set of rules was canceled and even banned. Of course, this was due to the fact that the revolutionaries opposed religious propaganda and everything connected with it. Therefore, Domostroy could not be approved by the new government. The fight against autocracy and serfdom (supported by the church) prohibited mention of religion and Orthodoxy.
In any literature, the authors of that time brought to the reader the idea of atheism. Of course, a book with teachings about honoring priests and monks, one’s spiritual fathers, serving the king and all rulers could not be allowed under any circumstances.
Such a struggle against religion for many decades has not had a favorable effect on the morality of modern society.
Educational value
Despite the mention in the book of such words as “the last judgment”, “demon”, “evil one”, all these commandments could still become a good guide to everyday actions. Considering the fact that for modern residents of Russia “no laws are written,” it is not possible to rely on a set of generally accepted rules.
Manners of behavior are developed based on moral standards laid down by parents, school, and society. This is not always given due attention. Let alone any rules being accepted by everyone for daily use. The Church has ceased to be taken seriously enough by people to respect all the divine commandments.
Now many works are being rethought and taking on new meaning. Works that were rejected and condemned are recognized as brilliant and talented. “Domostroy” is one of these unique creations that brings a lot of valuable practical advice for every day to the modern family, the younger generation and all people. The main idea of the book is raising children from the very first days, directing the child to good deeds and showing goodness in all his actions. Isn’t this what is so lacking now in our society, full of lies, hypocrisy, envy, anger and aggression?
Historical meaning
Thanks to the appearance of this book, today we can obtain information about the way of life of people of that time. “Domostroy” was written for a wide range of readers, for people of different social status.
This is a guide for the military, clerks, servicemen and all townspeople who have a family and create their own home. Regardless of whether the book reflects real life or is a rule for creating an ideal life, it has enormous historical significance for living people in Russia. Researchers use it to study the leisure, cultural and intellectual life of the population of Rus' in the 16th century. Although at that time such entertainment did not exist at all, since the church condemned and prohibited any entertainment. What is “Domostroy” for historians? This is important information about private life, family values, religious rules, traditions and laws of everyday life in the Russian family of that time.
DOMOSTROY
"DOMOSTROY", a monument of Russian literature of the 16th century, a set of everyday rules and instructions, a kind of encyclopedia of Russian patriarchal household life. Compiled with the participation of a priest Sylvester.
Source: Encyclopedia "Fatherland"
(full title - “The book called “Domostroy”, containing useful information, teachings and instructions to every Christian - husband, wife, children, servants, and maids”), a set of advice and rules that determined all aspects of Russian life a man of the 16th century, striking us today with the almost incredible spirituality of even the smallest everyday details. “Domostroy” is not just a collection of advice - a grandiose picture of an ideally churched family and economic life unfolds before the reader. Orderliness becomes almost ritualistic, a person’s daily activity rises to the heights of church action, obedience reaches monastic strictness, love for the king and the fatherland, home and family acquires the features of real religious service.
"Domostroy" was created in the 1st half. reign of Ivan the Terrible. The authorship of the final text is associated with the name of the associate and mentor of Ivan the Terrible, Priest Sylvester of the Annunciation.
“Domostroy” consists of three parts: about the attitude of Russian people to the Church and royal power; about intra-family structure; about organizing and running a household.
“Fear the king and serve him with faith, and always pray to God for him,” Domostroy teaches. “If you serve the earthly king with righteousness and are afraid of him, then you will learn to fear the heavenly King...” The duty of serving God is at the same time the duty of serving the Tsar, who personifies Orthodox statehood: “The Tsar... do not strive to serve with lies and slander and deceit... do not desire earthly glory in anything... do not repay evil for evil, nor slander for slander... do not judge those who sin, but remember your sins and take great care of them...” “And on any holiday... let them call the priestly rank into their home... and pray for the Tsar and the Grand Duke (name), and for their noble children...”
The same part of the collection, which is devoted to issues of family life, teaches “how Orthodox Christians should live in peace with their wives and children and household members, and punish and teach them, and save them with fear and fear of thunder, and protect them in all matters... and I myself will be the guardian over them in everything and take care of them as if for my own destiny... All of us are bound by one faith to God...”
Domostroy has everything. There are touching instructions “how to love and care for the children of their father and mother and obey them and give them peace in everything.” There are arguments that “if God gives someone a good wife, his dearest is a valuable stone.” There are practical tips: “what kind of dress to wear and arrange for a wife,” “what kind of vegetable garden to plant,” “what type of food to serve at the table all year round” (details about what is for a meat-eater, and what is for what Lent). There are instructions on the rules of home prayer for the whole family - “how a husband, wife and household members should pray to God in their home.” And all this - with that simplicity, thoroughness and quiet, peaceful leisurelyness that unmistakably testifies to a concentrated prayer life and unshakable faith.
“Every day in the evening,” Domostroy teaches, “a husband with his wife and children and household members, if anyone knows how to read and write, sing Vespers, Compline, in silence with attention. Standing humbly with prayer, with bows, sing in agreement and clearly, after the service do not eat, drink or chat ever... At midnight, getting up secretly, with tears, it is good to pray to God as much as you can about your sins, and in the morning, getting up, in the same way... Every Christian should pray for his sins, and for the remission of sins, for the health of the king and queen, and their children, and his brothers and sisters and the Christ-loving army, for help against enemies, for the release of captives, and for saints, priests and monks, and about the spiritual father, and about the sick, about those imprisoned - and for all Christians..."
About labor and economic activity in Domostroy in Art. "Economy".
Metropolitan John (Snychev)
Source: Encyclopedia "Russian Civilization"
Synonyms:
See what "DOMOSTROY" is in other dictionaries:
Domostroy... Spelling dictionary-reference book
A collection of instructions related to housekeeping, compiled in the middle of the 16th century. by order of Ivan the Terrible. In Domostroy, a significant part is occupied by the section of Books throughout the year that food is served at tables, that is, the first Russian... ... Culinary dictionary
- “DOMOSTROY” is a monument to Russian journalistic and social ethical thought of the 16th century. First published by D. P. Golokhvastov in 1849 (“Vremennik of the Society of Russian History and Antiquities,” book 1). Contains detailed regulation of various parties... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia
- - a monument to Russian journalistic and social ethical thought of the 16th century. First published by D.P. Golokhvastov in 1849 (“Vremennik of the Society of Russian History and Antiquities,” book 1). Contains detailed regulation of various aspects of the life of a Christian... Philosophical Encyclopedia
Owner, conservatism, conservatism, house-building Dictionary of Russian synonyms. domostroy see conservatism Dictionary of synonyms of the Russian language. Practical guide. M.: Russian language. Z. E. Alexandrova ... Synonym dictionary
The name of a monument of Russian literature of the 16th century. a set of everyday rules, advice and instructions, formed on the basis of a worldview developed under the influence of the Orthodox Church. This book, in its sixty-odd chapters, taught Russian... ... Dictionary of popular words and expressions
"DOMOSTROY"- Russian lit. monument gray 16th century, containing a set of rules of conduct for a city dweller, by which he had to be guided in relation to secular authorities and the church, family and servants. D. pays great attention to family relationships, with the goal of strengthening ... Demographic Encyclopedic Dictionary
"Domostroy"- “Domostroy” “DOMOSTROY”, a monument of Russian literature of the 16th century, a set of everyday rules and instructions. Compiled with the participation of the statesman and writer priest Sylvester (died about 1566). Reflects the principles of patriarchal life, known... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
A monument to Russian literature of the 16th century, a set of everyday rules and instructions. Compiled with the participation of the statesman and writer priest Sylvester (died about 1566). Reflects the principles of patriarchal life, known for prescribing strictness up to ... Modern encyclopedia
A monument to Russian literature of the 16th century, a set of everyday rules and instructions. Reflects the principles of patriarchal life, known for prescribing strict home life. Compiled with the participation of priest Sylvester... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Books
- Domostroy, Kolesov V. (trans.), Domostroy - this word has now become a common noun. But in fact, “Domostroy” is a book, an ancient Russian collection of advice on organizing everyday life, on the proper management of household... Category:
DOMOSTROY
1. Patriarchal, harsh and inert family life (after the name of the old Russian code of everyday rules).
2. A good owner, an organizer of order in his home.
USEFUL BOOK
“Domostroy” amazes us today with the almost incredible spirituality of even the smallest everyday details. “Domostroy” is not just a collection of advice; a grandiose picture of an ideally churched family and economic life unfolds before the reader. Orderliness becomes almost ritualistic, a person’s daily activity rises to the heights of church action, obedience reaches monastic strictness, love for the king and the fatherland, home and family acquires the features of real religious service.
"Domostroy" was created in the first half of the reign. The authorship of the final text is associated with the name of the associate and mentor of Ivan the Terrible, Priest Sylvester of the Annunciation.
“Domostroy” consists of three parts: about the attitude of Russian people to the Church and royal power; about intra-family structure; about organizing and running a household.
“Fear the king and serve him with faith, and always pray to God for him,” Domostroy teaches. “If you serve the earthly king with righteousness and are afraid of him, then you will learn to fear the heavenly King...” The duty of serving God is at the same time the duty of serving the Tsar, who personifies Orthodox statehood: “The Tsar... do not strive to serve with lies and slander and deceit... do not desire earthly glory in anything... do not repay evil for evil, nor slander for slander... do not condemn those who sin, but remember your sins and take great care of them..."
Domostroy has everything. There are touching instructions “how to love and care for the children of their father and mother and obey them and give them peace in everything.” There are arguments that “if God gives someone a good wife, his dearest is a valuable stone.” There are practical tips: “what kind of dress to wear and arrange for a wife,” “what kind of vegetable garden to plant,” “what type of food to serve at the table all year round” (details about what is for a meat-eater, and what is for what Lent). There are instructions on the rules of home prayer for the whole family - “how a husband, wife and household members should pray to God in their home.” And all this - with that simplicity, thoroughness and quiet, peaceful leisurelyness that unmistakably testifies to a concentrated prayer life and unshakable faith.
WOMAN'S LOOK
Domostroy is a set of rules of conduct for a city dweller that he had to follow in everyday life, a monument to secular writing of the 16th century. The authorship and compilation work are attributed to the archpriest of the Annunciation Monastery in Moscow, confessor of Ivan the Terrible, Sylvester. When compiling the code, Russian (“Izmaragd”, “Chrysostom”, “Teaching and Punishment of the Spiritual Fathers”) and Western (Czech “Book of Christian Doctrine”, French “Parisian Master”, Polish “Life of a Respectable Man”, etc.) “teaching books” were used collections". For gender history, sections of Domostroy XXIX, XXXIV, XXXVI, concerning the upbringing of children (including teaching girls handicrafts and boys “male” housework) and relationships with his wife, the “empress of the House,” as the author of Domostroy calls the mistress, are of particular importance. Domostroy taught women “how to please God and their husband,” how to maintain the honor of the clan and family, take care of the family hearth, and run the household. Judging by Domostroy, they were real housekeepers who supervised the procurement of food, cooking, organizing the work of all family members and servants (cleaning, providing water and firewood, spinning, weaving, tailoring, etc.). All members of the household, except the owner, were supposed to help the “empress of the House”, completely submitting to her. In relations with household members, Domostroy recommended that the owner be a “thunderstorm” for his wife and children and severely punish them for their offenses, up to “crushing their ribs,” or “whipping them with a whip depending on their guilt.” The cruelty of relations with his wife and children, prescribed by Domostroy, did not go beyond the morality of the late Middle Ages and differed little from similar edifications of Western European monuments of this type. However, Domostroy entered the history of Russian social thought precisely thanks to the odious descriptions of his wife’s punishments, since it was repeatedly quoted in this part by Russian commoners-publicists of the 1860s, and then by V.I. Lenin. This explains the unjust oblivion of this most valuable monument until the last quarter of the 20th century. Currently, the expression “Domostroevsky morals” has retained a clearly defined negative connotation.
WOMAN'S LOOK-2
...The argument of foreign researchers in favor of the theory of “terem seclusion” is that during the period of strengthening the grand ducal and then tsarist power and increasing the power of the boyar-princely aristocracy, women remained aloof from these processes and did not receive the right to independently rule, self-realize and even travel without a male escort.
This conclusion was made on the basis of a number of works of the 16th century. - “Domostroya” by the Blagoveshchensk archpriest Sylvester and notes from foreigners about Russia. But can these monuments be considered reliable historical sources? Sylvester expressed his idea of the place of women in society and the family; foreigners, who had almost no contact with Russian people, could have only the most superficial idea of the situation of local women. For example, seeing that a noble person was traveling on business surrounded by an honorary retinue, they could conclude that she did not have the right to travel alone. Foreigners could also be biased in their assessment of the presence of male and female halves in Russian homes. This was not due to the isolation of women, but to the division of responsibilities in the family. The woman raised small children, provided all household members, including servants, with clothes, bed linen and took care of their cleanliness. All women had these responsibilities, regardless of their social status. But the noble and rich hired servants, needlewomen, porto-washers, nurses, mothers and nannies for children, while the poor commoners did everything themselves. But husbands never interfered in these women’s affairs, giving spouses freedom of action.
AUTHORSHIP
Sylvester (beginning of the 16th century - until 1568), a native of the Novgorod prosperous commercial and industrial environment, was close to the Novgorod Archbishop Macarius, after whose election as metropolitan he moved to Moscow and from 1545 became the archpriest of the court Annunciation Cathedral in the Kremlin. He participated in the preparation and implementation of state and cultural reforms of that time, including the compilation and editing of such important monuments as the Code of Laws of 1550 and the Chet'i-Minei. In his political views, Sylvester is close to non-covetous people; he opposed the enrichment of the church, defended strong state power - autocracy; this became a political platform for rapprochement with representatives of the rising nobility (represented by other adherents of the new course, such as Alexey Adashev). Ivan IV’s “offensiveness” to Sylvester began after the boyar “rebellion” of 1553, in which Sylvester took an evasive position; since he was associated with Vladimir Staritsky, the main antagonist of Ivan IV, he had to “voluntarily” take monastic vows at the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery (under the name of Spiridon). Sylvester suffered final disgrace in the spring of 1560, after the death of Queen Anastasia, who favored him. Further circumstances of Sylvester’s personal life are little known and controversial; even the time and place of his death is unknown. A major political figure and writer, in the last years of his life he was engaged only in copying books, some of which have survived.
“Domostroy” “Silvestrovsky edition” is the main work of the writer; he edited and partly supplemented the Novgorod collection of similar content that was circulating in the lists.
FROM THREE PARTS OF HOUSE CONSTRUCTION
6. How to visit in monasteries and in hospitals and in dungeons and any sorrowful person (“give drink, feed, warm”)
In monasteries, and in hospitals and in the desert and in dungeons, you visit those imprisoned and give alms and all kinds of necessary strength and greatly demand, and you see their misfortune and sorrow and every need as much as possible, help them and everyone who is sorrowful and poor and in need and do not despise poverty, bring Give your house something to drink, warm your clothes with all your love and a pure conscience, create the mercy of God and receive freedom, and make an offering to the churches of God in memory of your departed parents and feed them in the house, give alms to the poor and you yourself will be remembered by God.
(In the monastery, and in the hospital, and in seclusion, and in prison, visit prisoners and give alms that they ask, according to the strength of your ability, and look into their misfortune and sorrow, and into their needs, and, as far as possible, help them, and do not despise the needy or the beggar, bring them into your home, give them drink, feed them, warm them, and greet them with love and a clear conscience: and with this you will earn the mercy of God and you will also receive forgiveness of your sins; Remember the deceased with an offering to the Church of God, and arrange funeral services at home, and give alms to the poor, then you yourself will be remembered by God).
20. Praise for wives (“if God grants a good wife”)
If God grants a wife to a good darling, there are valuable stones, such a one will not lose self-interest from goodness, she does all the goodness to her husband, having found the wave and flax, create usefully with her hands, as if I would buy a ship, working from afar, she collects wealth in herself and rises from the night and gives a tidy house and the work of the slaves, from the fruit he plants his hand, he labors a lot, having girded his loins tightly, he strengthens his arm for the work and teaches his children, likewise the servant, and her lamp does not go out all night, stretches out his hand to the useful, and strengthens his lactation to the lost , mercy extends to the poor, but gives fruit to the poor, does not care about the house; her husband does not care about the house; her husband makes many kinds of attire, adorned, for her husband, and for herself, and for her child, and for her household, but the husband will always be in the company of a nobleman and sit down with a well-known nobleman; he is honest, quick, and understands the conversation prudently because no one will be married without labor to do good; for the sake of a good wife, blessed is the husband and the number of his days; the wife of good cheers her husband and fulfills his life with peace; the wife of goodness may share in the goodness of those who fear the Lord; for the wife is more honest with her husband, keeping the first commandment of God, she will be blessed, and the second is praised by man, a wife who is kind, and passionate and silent, a man who has found his crown is a husband who wears his good wife out of his home, blessed are such wives as husbands and fulfill their years in the blessing of the world , about a good wife, praise and honor to her husband.
(If God grants a good wife, better than a precious stone; such a one will not deprive her of good things out of selfishness; she will always arrange a good life for her husband. Having collected wool and flax, do what you need with your hands, be like a trading ship: it absorbs wealth from afar and emerges from night; and she will give food to the house and work to the maidservants, girding her loins tightly with the fruits of her hands, she will strengthen her hands to work and teach her children, like her servants, and her lamp will not go out all night; she stretches out her hands to her. spinning wheel, and her fingers take hold of the spindle, she turns mercy on the poor and gives the fruits of her labor to the poor - her husband does not worry about the house; he will make all kinds of embroidered clothes for his husband, and for himself, and for his children, and for his household. gathers with the nobles and sits down, respected by all his friends, and, speaking wisely, knows how to do good, for no one is crowned without difficulty. If a husband is blessed with a good wife, the number of days of his life will double, a good wife will delight her husband and fill his years with peace. ; a good wife will be a good reward for those who fear God, for a wife makes her husband more virtuous: firstly, having fulfilled God’s commandment, she will be blessed by God, and secondly, she will be glorified by people. A kind, hardworking, and silent wife is a crown to her husband, if the husband has found his good wife, she only takes good things out of his house; blessed is the husband of such a wife, and they will live their years in good peace; for a good wife, praise and honor to the husband).
54. In the cellar and on the glacier, take care of everything (“and saffron milk caps, and caviar, and fruit juice”)
And in the cellar and on the glaciers and in the cellars there are breads and kolaches, cheeses, white eggs, and onions, garlic and all kinds of meat, fresh and corned beef and fresh and salted fish and unleavened honey, and boiled meat and fish jelly and all the food supplies, and cucumbers and cabbage, salted and fresh, and turnips, and all sorts of vegetables, and saffron milk caps, and caviar, and set roses, and fruit juice, and apple kvass, and lingonberry waters and Flaz wines, and flammable foods and all kinds of honey, and fresh and plain beer, and mash, and the key keeper would know how much was stored in the cellar, and on the glacier and the cellar, and everything would be counted and marked, whether completely or not completely, and marked, and written down, and how much of what he would give to where by order of the sovereign and how much Why would everything be in the account? It would be something to say to the ruler, and an account of everything would be given, and everything would be clean and covered, and not musty and moldy, and sour, and the wines from Frya and the dry wine are overcooked, and all the best drinks keep it in a lined cellar behind a lock and go there yourself.
(And in the cellar, and on the glaciers, and in the pantries there are breads and rolls, cheeses and eggs, sour cream and onions, garlic and all kinds of meat, fresh and corned beef, and fresh and salted fish, and unleavened honey, and boiled food, meat and fish , jelly and all edible supplies, and cucumbers, and cabbage, salted and fresh, and turnips, and all sorts of vegetables, and saffron milk caps, and caviar, and ready-made brines, and fruit juice, and apple kvass, and lingonberry waters, and dry and strong wines , and all kinds of honey, and beer made with honey, and plain beer, and mash - the housekeeper knows all that stock. And how much is stored in the pantry, and on the glacier, and in the cellar - all of it would be counted and marked, which is entirely, but. what is not completely counted and written down, and how much of what and where the housekeeper will give according to the master’s order, and how much of what will be dispersed - and then everything would be in the account, there would be something to say to the master and an account of everything. everything is clean, and covered, and has not suffocated, and has not become moldy, and has not turned sour. And keep dry wines and honey infusions and other best drinks in a special cellar under lock and key and keep an eye on them yourself).
"Domostroy" is the most slandered book in all of Russian culture and... an excellent test of ignorance.
If someone tells you about the “house-building way of life” and about the “wife-beating manual,” you can be 100% sure that he has not read the text.
"Domostroy"- This is an instruction on etiquette, home economics and the proper organization of family life in the context of the family economy.
Most of Domostroev's instructions are about how not to get into debt, cut a dress from scraps and pickle mushrooms.
It goes back, on the one hand, to ancient economic literature, which began in antiquity with the dialogue of Xenophon under the same title. Let me remind you that the word “economy” means house-building. If you translate “Domostroy” into Greek or any of the Western European languages, you will have to call it “Economics”. On the other hand, “Domostroy” continues the tradition of Byzantine and Old Russian spiritual and moral teachings. And on the third, it was written in the role of politeness literature that was gaining popularity in the 16th century, teachings on how not to pick your nose. These teachings are explored in detail by Norbert Elias in his work On the Process of Civilization. Elias sees in them not only a reflection of changes in morals, but also a projection onto the private life of a person of the strengthening of the state as a social phenomenon. The state requires a person to restrain his emotions, and it is the art of mastering emotions that is civilization. And, in this sense, “Domostroy” is one of the first monuments of Russian civilization, the Russian system.
This is a treatise on prudent farming and accumulation, that is, about something with which Russia has indeed always had trouble - here you have pestilence, famine, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners, and internecine warfare, before you have time to look back, on the site of the boyar's stone house with a garden there are ashes and stumps. Either the Tatars burned it, or the sovereign guardsmen frolicked. Everything in Domostroy is subordinated to this idea - to save as much as possible, not to spend anything extra, not to allow any hole in the budget.
Just look at the section titles: “16. How can a husband and wife consult about what to punish the housekeeper about tableware, about the kitchen and about the bakery; 36. How to maintain order at home and what to do if you have to ask people for something or give people your own; 47. About the profit from stockpiling for future use; 54. How to preserve everything in the cellar, on the glacier and in the cellar.”
The husband and wife of “Domostroy” are by no means lovers who decided to stamp their passports for the sake of order. This is a team of managers on whom it depends whether their “company” will burn out in their old age or will continue for decades and centuries. Essentially, it's a fascinating treatise on how to live within your means and save something for posterity.
The wife at Domostroy is the HR manager. Her task is to manage the servants and the entire household. Distribute tasks, check completion, consult with her husband about everything and convey the will of the head of the family to the household. This also includes extensive instructions on managing human relations in the household - especially about servants. Servants should not steal, get drunk, or blurt out the master's secrets on the side.
The famous discussion about punishments, which is the only one the “fighters against Domostroi” remember, is included in the chapter on cleanliness in the house and begins with the fact that the wife should, if necessary, beat the servants for disorder, and if she herself is not in order, then the husband should have an explanatory conversation with her. But if the wife herself doesn’t know and doesn’t teach the servants, then she needs to be punished. Alone and without anger.
At the same time, what follows is not a description of how to punish, which is what our home-grown BDSM fans dream of, but on the contrary: what not to do. You can’t hit someone in the face, on the ear, or in the heart with a fist. You cannot kick or hit with iron or wooden objects. The harmful consequences of such beatings are listed in detail.
The main pathos of “Domostroy” is precisely that punishment should be secret, without anger, for serious guilt and alien to domestic violence.
It is enough to compare this with the way “free and emancipated modern people” live: public drunken fights, in front of children, fights in frying pans, swearing on the stairwell, throwing things out of the window, and so on and so forth (hello to Kabanov), to be convinced - Domostroevskaya A school of family life would certainly not hurt modern spouses.
First of all, a strict demand for the secrecy of any family conflicts, then a renunciation of anger, of “quarrels” (however, the format of a “family quarrel” is a product of precisely female emancipation - hands on hips and forward).
Well, the main thing in “Domostroy” is that the theme of punishment does not stem from the theme of family relations (where it talks about the relationship between husband and wife, there is not a word about the use of force), but exclusively from the theme of the economic and organizational order in the family as an enterprise.
Domostroevsky life is when the wife manages the housework and the staff of servants, and the husband controls her and imposes sanctions.
The main theme of “Domostroy” is the theme of the husband’s responsibility for everything. Any failure is his failure. His sin will affect his family, his wife, children, and servants. And therefore, “Domostroy” is, first of all, a book about male responsibility and the mission of a man.
For modern infantile men, this is an uncomfortable book, which is why they prefer to mutter: “but we don’t beat our wives.” And then, by the way, they are lying. They beat me, of course, just like they beat me - they beat me with women’s hysterics and screams.
However, that same chapter, from which, like from the chapter “The Hammer and Sickle” by Venedikt Erofeev, only beatings were read, also contains an important lesson for wives: they should not turn the house into a pigsty.
Unfortunately, modern emancipated women often neglect the cleanliness of the house, and sometimes even flaunt it, considering it a sign of interestingness and freedom. I should note that a pigsty is boring, dirt is disgusting, and a woman who neglects the cleanliness of her home (as well as her own) dooms herself to be treated as a disposable partner to satisfy an animal instinct. Nobody except an even bigger piggy man will even think about any house and system with dirty people.
a monument of Russian literature of the 16th century, a set of everyday rules and instructions, a kind of encyclopedia of Russian patriarchal household life. Compiled with the participation of priest Sylvester.
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DOMOSTROY
full title - “The book called “Domostroy”, containing useful information, teachings and instructions to every Christian - husband, wife, children, servants, and maids”), a set of tips and rules that determined all aspects of the life of a Russian person XVI century, striking us today with the almost incredible spirituality of even the smallest everyday details. "Domostroy" is not just a collection of advice - a grandiose picture of an ideally churched family and economic life unfolds before the reader. Orderliness becomes almost ritualistic, a person’s daily activity rises to the heights of church action, obedience reaches monastic strictness, love for the king and the fatherland, home and family acquires the features of real religious service.
"Domostroy" was created in the 1st half. reign of Ivan the Terrible. The authorship of the final text is associated with the name of the associate and mentor of Ivan the Terrible, Priest Sylvester of the Annunciation.
"Domostroy" consists of three parts: about the attitude of Russian people to the Church and royal power; about intra-family structure; about organizing and running a household.
“Fear the king and serve him with faith, and always pray to God for him,” teaches “Domostroy.” “If you serve the earthly king with righteousness and are afraid of him, then you will learn to fear the heavenly King...” The duty of serving God is at the same time the duty of serving the Tsar, who personifies Orthodox statehood: “The Tsar... do not strive to serve with lies and slander and deceit... do not desire earthly glory in anything... do not repay evil for evil, nor slander for slander... do not condemn those who sin, but remember your sins and take great care of them...". “And on any holiday... let them call the priestly rank into their home... and pray for the Tsar and the Grand Duke (name), and for their noble children...”
The same part of the collection, which is devoted to issues of family life, teaches “how Orthodox Christians should live in peace with their wives and children and household members, and punish and teach them, and save them with fear and fear of thunder, and protect them in all matters... and I myself will be the guardian over them in everything and take care of them as if for my own destiny... All of us are bound by one faith to God...”
Domostroy has it all. There are touching instructions “how to love and care for the children of their father and mother, obey them and give them peace in everything.” There are arguments that “if God gives someone a good wife, his dearest is a valuable stone.” There are practical tips: “what kind of dress to wear and arrange for a wife,” “what kind of vegetable garden to plant,” “what type of food to serve at the table all year round” (details about what is for a meat-eater, and what is for what Lent). There are instructions on the rules of home prayer for the whole family - “how a husband, wife and household members should pray to God in their home.” And all this - with that simplicity, thoroughness and quiet, peaceful leisurelyness that unmistakably testifies to a concentrated prayer life and unshakable faith.
“Every day in the evening,” Domostroy teaches, “the husband with his wife and children and household members, if anyone knows how to read and write, sing Vespers, Compline, in silence with attention. Standing humbly with prayer, with bows, sing in agreement and clearly, after the service do not eat, do not drink and do not chat ever... At midnight, getting up secretly, with tears, pray well to God as much as you can about your sins, and in the morning, getting up, the same way... Every Christian should pray about his sins, and about the remission of sins, about the health of the king and queen, and their children, and his brothers and sisters and the Christ-loving army, about help against enemies, about the release of captives, and about saints, priests and monks, and about the spiritual father, and about the sick, about those imprisoned - and for all Christians..."
On labor and economic activity in Domostroy in Art. "Economy".
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