Study of the “other” image of a widow in Russian realistic literature of the 1830–1850s

The article examines the image of a widow in Russian realistic literature of the 1830-1850s through the prism of the concept of the “Other” proposed by S. de Beauvoir. The analysis shows that widow characters created by male authors are most often presented as figures losing their subjectivity and reproducing patriarchal models of behavior. By comparing the images of Pshenitsyna, Kabanova, Korobochka and others, the author reveals how female dependence, economic and social marginalization, as well as internal commitment to traditional roles contribute to the formation of the stereotype of a widow as an object. At the same time, some images show impulses towards emancipation and individualization, which makes the figure of the widow an important link in the process of developing female self-awareness in literature. The work allows for a deeper understanding of the gender dynamics of Russian prose of the 19th century and reveals literary mechanisms of limitation and resistance in female images.