Russian Literary Journals, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy in St. Petersburg, 1877
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A01=Linda M. Mayhew
Alexander II and the great reforms
Author_Linda M. Mayhew
Category=DS
Category=DSBD
Category=NHD
Censorship and literary journals
Censorship in nineteenth century Russia
Dostoevsky and literary journals
Emancipation of serfs
eq_bestseller
eq_biography-true-stories
eq_history
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eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
Historical role-playing game
Intelligentsia in nineteenth century
Literacy in nineteenth century Russia
Literary salons in Russia
nineteenth century Russia
Nineteenth century Russian literary journals
Notes from the Fatherland
Populist movement in Russia
pre-Revolutionary Russia
Reacting to the Past
Religion in nineteenth century Russia
Role-playing in the classroom
Russo-Turkic War
Slavophile movement in Russia
St. Petersburg in the nineteenth century
Tolstoy and literary journals
Westernizer movement in Russia
Women in nineteenth century Russia
Product details
- ISBN 9781469691381
- Dimensions: 25 x 203mm
- Publication Date: 14 Oct 2025
- Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
- Publication City/Country: US
- Product Form: Paperback
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In 1877, the atmosphere in Russia was highly contentious. Amid war with the Ottoman Empire, the nation was also grappling with intense intellectual and political conflicts. Various groups and individuals were fervently engaged in shaping the country’s future, navigating a landscape marked by strict censorship and deep ideological divides. This game, set in St. Petersburg, immerses students into the vibrant and combative world of Russian literary journals. Students assume the roles of editors, writers, and social activists navigating the complex intersection of literature and politics. The periodicals they produce are filled with subtle political commentaries regarding the monarchy, education, religion, and women in society, all designed to slip past the censors. As writers such as Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky and Count Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy compete to publish their work, they must align with intellectual factions—Populists, Slavophiles, or Westernizers—and find allies to advance their literary and political ambitions. Editors face the dual challenges of maintaining their publication goals and appeasing the censors, deciding which articles and novels make it to print.
In this game, writers present their work at Elena Shtakenshneider’s literary salon, sparking discussions on themes such as the relationship of art to society, women’s roles, access to education, the Russian Orthodox Church, and paths to political reform. In this charged environment, the success of a journal can determine its influence on Russia’s future. The editor of a thriving journal may even earn an audience with Tsar Alexander II, with the opportunity to advocate for a constitutional monarchy, endorse the existing autocratic structures, or propose sweeping political and social changes.
In this game, writers present their work at Elena Shtakenshneider’s literary salon, sparking discussions on themes such as the relationship of art to society, women’s roles, access to education, the Russian Orthodox Church, and paths to political reform. In this charged environment, the success of a journal can determine its influence on Russia’s future. The editor of a thriving journal may even earn an audience with Tsar Alexander II, with the opportunity to advocate for a constitutional monarchy, endorse the existing autocratic structures, or propose sweeping political and social changes.
Linda M. Mayhew is assistant director of the Humanities Honors Program at the University of Texas at Austin.
