A guide to choosing wives in Russia in 1916

Greetings to forum members! Today is Friday and I want to introduce the Friday thread.

In 1916, a book was published in Russia entitled "A Guide to the Choice of Wives with the Addition of Good and Evil About Women"




The title page has an inscription: "This book is not for sale to women."

I will not post scans of the pages of this book, especially since they are in Russian in the old spelling. And I will just give a translation into English of the most interesting excerpts from chapters and sections. They struck me as very interesting, funny and instructive for a modern person.

Age.

"... you must choose a girl at least 25 years old, for very young girls are almost always windy, fickle and capricious."

Eye color.

"Since the eyes of women reflect character, then you need to look for blue eyes in the chosen bride. Since such an eye color means quiet obedience to her husband, boundless love and fidelity. Black eyes, on the contrary, although sometimes they are more beautiful and attractive than blue ones, they mean the character is hot-tempered, insidious, and it often happens that the owner of black eyes becomes unfaithful to her husband.With regard to gray eyes, we can say that women who like to dress up in rich and fashionable outfits, and flaunt beyond their means. smartness will be a big loss. Brown eyes are in women, although they have a good character, but who like to chat with their neighbors unnecessary nonsense, gossip. Otherwise, they are quiet and submissive. "

Growth and fullness.

"Growth, both too big. And too small, is uncomfortable. The first is because it is very funny and caricatured when a husband and wife walk, and she is a cut taller than her husband. Little wives are usually fidgets. It is better to choose an average height and physique, but not take a hunchbacked wife, even with a millionth dowry, since they are echidna and evil. "

For widowers.

"Widowers can take girls as their wives only those who have the following inclinations and virtues:
1. Humility
2. Love for work
3. Persistence
4. Aversion to noisy celebrations.
5. Indifference to the fair sex, and especially to the sons of Mars, that is, military people.
6. Love for a quiet family life.
7. Commitment to the chosen one of your heart, your spouse.
8. Patience.
9. Composure.
10. A small but sane and honest mind. "

Mother-in-law.

"Mother-in-law is the lever of the whole married life, the tuning fork of the wife's mood. Mother-in-law is of three kinds. The first belongs to the category of" scratching the tongue too much "(too talkative), pricking a son-in-law with reproach, whispering such a word to her daughter that she will pout her lips and not all day will communicate with her husband.Sometimes such mother-in-law bring abuse to a scandal, but sometimes such mother-in-law gets along with the family.
Mother-in-law, much angrier than the first, belong to the second category. They scold their son-in-law for every nonsense, constantly hum in their daughter's ear, and the daughter begins to speak in the words of her mother. That her husband does not love her, does not constantly sleep at home, plays cards, drinks alcohol, etc.
The third category includes the most terrible mother-in-law. They are mostly tall women, of thin build, with hawk-like green eyes, a hooked nose and large sharp teeth. Such mother-in-law is not limited to a quarrel, they bring their poor son-in-law to madness and despair with their poisonous hiss.
That's how dangerous mother-in-law is. "

Blondes.

"Blondes are almost always of a good character, quiet. Modest, loving, gentle and well-behaved. A blonde in family life always consoles her husband with her even character, never gets angry and respects her husband more than anything else. Therefore, for a married life, a blonde is the best choice. They do not particularly like pleasure and pleasure, they completely submit and get used to any life. That is, she can endure hunger and cold without a murmur. She will love children and sacrifice herself for their good. The only drawback of the blonde is her jealousy . she will never forgive her husband if she finds out that he cheated on her. Blondes are very good as wives. "

Brunettes.

"Brunettes are ardent, passionate, capricious, but they love their husbands to the point of madness. It happens that brunettes cheat on their husbands. But this happens very rarely. In family life, brunettes are good, they know how to manage a house, but they love to have fun. Therefore, the husband needs to save money for outfits for his wife. "

Redheads.

"Cunning, sneakiness, deceit, fox anger, cunning, deceit, cowardice are obvious character traits of redheads. But there are exceptions. A red-haired wife knows how to make her husband love herself and forgive her all sins. If she finds out that her husband is really cheating on her, she will prove that such a life will not lead to anything good, but will only worsen everything. , ducks, chickens, eggs, etc. They love and care for their children. "

There are many more funny moments in the book, I have chosen only, in my opinion, the most characteristic ones. Of course, the book is muculinally toxic to the modern Western view. But this only adds to her piquancy. Hope you enjoyed it.

Thanks.

They left out one of the most important attributes when picking a wife.

Sammiches.

a reply to: RussianTroll
In the economic state of society at the time (over Europe generally) men could choose wives, because girls needed to get married more than men needed to marry.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: RussianTroll
In the economic state of society at the time (over Europe generally) men could choose wives, because girls needed to get married more than men needed to marry.

What has changed now?

a reply to: RussianTroll
Women can go out and get jobs. A woman without a husband does not necessarily starve.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: RussianTroll
Women can go out and get jobs. A woman without a husband does not necessarily starve.

Has it gotten better? Are there more happy families, more happy children, population growth, and people becoming happier and smarter?

Any chapters on how to discipline your wife?
My redheaded dark eyed spouse falls square in the risk category I see

a reply to: RussianTroll
I wasn't getting into the question of whether things are better. I was just explaining why the men of the time were in a position to be picky about their choice of wives, which in turn explains why they were being given advice in this book. It's an interesting detail in social history.

originally posted by: Jubei42
Any chapters on how to discipline your wife?
My redheaded dark eyed spouse falls square in the risk category I see

Here is a short summary of what I found)))

"Another woman has tendencies to swearing, as they say, for no reason, but the best way to correct such a wife is to explain to her all the nastiness of her behavior with severity and words ...
The easiest and quickest way to make a stubborn wife quiet and obedient is not to contradict her in anything, and whatever she wants, give her free rein, at least for a month. Here she will do so many stupid things and misfortunes that she herself will look with horror at the result of her stubbornness. "

originally posted by: RussianTroll

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: RussianTroll
Women can go out and get jobs. A woman without a husband does not necessarily starve.

Has it gotten better? Are there more happy families, more happy children, population growth, and people becoming happier and smarter?

Hmm, seems like it's par for the course in Russia.

In 2018, the government statistics agency recorded a total of 8,300 women killed. That works out at 22 a day. Contrast that with the UK rate of one woman murdered every three days.
Like in Britain, NGOs say the majority of those happened in the home. The official number for domestic violence murders for 2018 was just 253.
Most European countries, especially given a widely reported increase in domestic violence during the pandemic, are toughening their laws. Russia is going the other way.
In 2017 Russia decriminalised first instance domestic battery, meaning anything which doesn't end up in hospital is classified as an administrative offence. There is no specific category for violence by a relative. The penalty is the same as being punched by a stranger on the street.

Link.

Seems like the "happiness" of women in Russia isn't really a priority for authorities there. As long as they don't end up in the hospital.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: RussianTroll
I wasn't getting into the question of whether things are better. I was just explaining why the men of the time were in a position to be picky about their choice of wives, which in turn explains why they were being given advice in this book. It's an interesting detail in social history.

As a chick, I'm going to be bold enough to say I think you guys lost something between then and now. As well as women -- both threw dignity out the window and nail anything that moves. There's no real effort given anymore with regards to a lay, let alone a spouse, so to me, old books like this are kind of a social throwback to when people actually tried before banging. When courtship steps and protocols counted toward manners and something worth respecting.

a reply to: Atsbhct
Russia is aware of the consequences of Western democracy, freedom, tolerance and the struggle with God for the family, people and society.

a reply to: RussianTroll

There's no section for women with black hair?

originally posted by: IAMTAT
a reply to: RussianTroll

There's no section for women with black hair?

In Russia, women with such hair are also called brunettes.
There is an interesting gradation. If the hair is light blond, then they are classified as blondes, and dark blond and black are classified as brunettes. But 100 years ago, black hair was rare among women in Central Russia.

originally posted by: RussianTroll

originally posted by: IAMTAT
a reply to: RussianTroll

There's no section for women with black hair?

But 100 years ago, black hair was rare among women in Central Russia.

Then Russian men were really missing out on Asian gals. They love you long time.

originally posted by: IAMTAT

originally posted by: RussianTroll

originally posted by: IAMTAT
a reply to: RussianTroll

There's no section for women with black hair?

But 100 years ago, black hair was rare among women in Central Russia.

Then Russian men were really missing out on Asian gals. They love you long time.

There were many Tatar, Central Asian, Caucasian and Jewish black-haired women in Russia. But the society was class-based, and families were mainly created among the spouses of the same people. Of course, there were exceptions, but they were few.

a reply to: RussianTroll

Lol, the author did not think very highly of women eh?

originally posted by: CptGreenTea
a reply to: RussianTroll

Lol, the author did not think very highly of women eh?

The author, in my opinion, is an intelligent person, and above all thinks about families, health and happiness of spouses and their children. And not about fashionable "equal rights", gender, tolerance and more than 40 gender genders.

originally posted by: DAVID64
They left out one of the most important attributes when picking a wife.

Sammiches.

Both eating them so they stop yammering all the time, and making them !!

hahaha ladies, I kid!!