Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XIV. The difference between the English and Russian point of view upon duelling
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
102 PROBLEMS CONFRONTING RUSSIA
expressly wishes in doing so to be assisted by a man has the
latter the right to take the matter up in her place. This way
of dealing with the matter recognises the principle of equality
of personal rights of women and men, and gives at the same
time a chance to women to develop their sense of moral
responsibility. Owing to the tutelage exercised over them
by men throughout the past centuries, they are sometimes
deficient in that respect.
Up to the present time a difference was made in principle
between the honour of a man and that of a woman. This
was due to the different positions occupied by men and
women in society. It was argued that it was the man’s duty
to uphold social order in the State, local community, family,
and so forth, and to that end he must guard his person
against any attempts to deprive him of the character of an
esteemed and recognised member of society. On the other
hand, the woman’s duty was limited to her position as a
wife and mother, and anything which endangered that
position would minimise her personal value in the eyes of
human society, which is built up on the institution of
marriage. The man loses his honour when he ceases to
uphold the laws of that society, the woman when she
endangers the proper observance of her present or future
duties as a wife and mother. But this difference in man’s
and woman’s honour has now been effaced to a great extent
by the changes which have taken place in the position of
women. In the modern State women have become factors
in public life, and claim equality of rights with men.
Accordingly, the honour of a woman can no longer be limited to
sex honour, but must be in its essence identical with the
man’s honour.
Up to quite recently men considered it their duty, from
motives of chivalry, to defend the honour of women, and this
proved to be the most prolific source of duelling. But things
are changing. There are nowadays many women who
consider that this sort of chivalry is very far from
complimentary to them, and places them in an inferior position,
by reason of their supposed inability to defend themselves.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
