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Paper short abstract

In Russian the emotions is often associated with non-man-like behavior, but after closer examination it turns out that a man can be emotional, but in interactions with animals. I will analyze interaction between the men and nature creatures, emotions and their expression in different situations.

Paper long abstract

In Russian native speaker’s mind the emotions expression is often associated with non-man-like behavior. There are expressions like “мужчины не плачут” (“men don't cry”), “терпи, ты же мужчина” (“you should bear with it becouse you're a man”). We have the idea that men are the stronger sex than women, male person is more resistant to physical and mental pain, and the expression of feelings is more typical for women.

This story looks like the same in the anthropologic records of the NPO "Propp Center" made in the Russian Northen villages — but only at first glance. After closer examination it turns out that a man can be emotional, but in interactions with animals and not with people. We have recorded lots of stories about the relations of hunters and their dogs and the painful experiences they had after death or missing of their dog partner for various reasons. They are often compare this experience to the loss of a beloved one — and in the situation of losing a dog the level of pain and distress is always higher: one of the informants told us that the father, who shed no tears at his wife's funeral, cried when his dog died.

In my presentation I will analyze male narratives about nature, emotions and their expression, try to find out which situations allow a man to openly demonstrate his feelings, what feelings they are precisely and what happens in similar situations of interaction with a human being.