“Orphans with Living Parents”. Children's Loneliness in Russian Noble Families (The Second Half of the XIX – Beginning of the XX Centuries)

Abstract

The article examines the relationship of children and parents specific to the Russian noble families. The greatest attention is paid to the evolution of the status of children. The state of the child, although living in a full family, but being in care of nannies or governesses, in the separate residences, is being studied. An analysis of the evolution of children’s status is given – from their „uselessness” to the moment when they and their interests are placed at the centre of family relations. In their study the authors come to the conclusion, that during the XIX century the main „disease” of the noble family was the psychological condition of children – loneliness, in which „orphans with living parents” were growing up. Only at the very end of the XIX century, nobility parents begin to acknowledge the value of a child.

Keywords

• Russia
• XIX- XX centuries
• noble family
• parents
• orphan
• child psychology
• loneliness of the child.