Mother Russia. Who is she?

[mlmaos.livejournal.com]

In the fan-works and commentaries Ivan often says "One with Mother Russia" or the variant of the phrase - "One with Russia."

I think that the reason for the joke - a historical feature of nicknames and the image of Russia.
But if this opinion can be given up - what do you think?
Who is the Mother Russia? Or why does Ivan (if he says about himself) seriously identify himself so?
:)

Comments

[lovelylurker.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh, the best part about that link is that there's a list of country personifications with links for each one.

These are really very interesting. Almost all of the European personifications are female, and the two North American ones are male. XD

[wooblywooble.livejournal.com]

That's pretty much because of the gender of the word, most country names are female :)

[narcomanic.livejournal.com]

... Depending on your language, of course. German, for example, classifies most countries as neutral.

[rabieskatten.livejournal.com]

It's the same as "mother Svea". If I remember correctly "Sverige" (Sweden) originally comes from "Svea land" (the land of Svea).

TMI, but..

[boscaresque.livejournal.com]

The funny thing is, I was totally obsessed with the traditional national personifications for years before I even discovered Hetalia. I even did an entire year-long senior project on old political cartoons back in high school. (Which is actually how I discovered Hetalia, lol. I guess it was inevitable. It was like..."I'm doing serious academic research here, wtf is this crack that I keep running into?")

*Appropriate icon*

It's - destiny!

[mlmaos.livejournal.com]

It's - destiny! : )

I think that the national personifications is a very interesting topic too.

I like works of Russian philosophers of the late 19 and early 20 th centuries, who concentrated their attention on it. They tried to understand what kind of gender Russia is. And why is so. And what may do with a country, who is a woman, but her laws and society are very strict patriarchal. >_<

Almost all of the European personifications are female

[mlmaos.livejournal.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motherland

There is the interesting phrase «Motherland is a term that may refer to a mother country, i.e. the place of one's birth, the place of origin of an ethnic group or immigrant, or a Metropole in contrast to its colonies».

Also I saw the words about North American nations - “… the people, who were born from the most powerful individuals: peasants, sailors, who came off from the umbilical cords of home bosoms - from mother-lands of the Old World…” (“The Russian Eros” by G. Gachev)

[sara-rojo.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOSH, columbia, USA's feminine representtion, is hot

Many thanks

[mlmaos.livejournal.com]

Many thanks for the link. :)
Yes… Ivan is so strange. Many male-countries in APH have female personifications too - but only he says about himself in the feminine gender! >_<

[inner-wings.livejournal.com]

It's already been said, but Mother Russia is a personification of Russia, like how Uncle Sam is a personification of America. Russia is sometimes personified as a bear too in old political cartoons, but that tends to be a negative thing (saying that Russia is clumsy and brutal like a bear.)

As far as Hetalia goes, I imagined that Russia has a bit of a maternal streak. He does refer to his people as children (before killing them, of course, but it's worth noting.)

@LOL@

[mlmaos.livejournal.com]

@LOL@
Poor bear! >_<
"Great Game" and "Cold war" marred the reputation of this noble beast! Only one, who never got into a den (for example, a lion or eagle) and then ran away from a bear, can say that the bear is clumsy! :) And, after all - all players were predator without exception. :)

Russia’s female personification was used against her too. Philosophers and politicians of European countries did it - especially in German Empire and Britain Empire. These nations were called “male” in the works.
Russia was imputed to the negative feminine traits, such as: she is guided by emotions but not reason and necessity, as a result, she is amotivational and extreme cruel. Also: spontaneity, duplicity, mendacity, inclination to anarchy, capriciousness, imitation, the inability to creation, tendency to subordinate the power ... And the conclude was done - may be it’s cruel necessity, but
external control over her should be done. Otherwise - a woman without control reasonable and responsible husband - forever will injure herself and her neighbors. In addition, unmarried (uncontrolled) she will never display her femininity talents (positive part of it). The woman is an attachment of a man, not self-sufficient person.

So they spoke about Russia till the 1 and the 2 world wars.

Bismarck’s words:

«All Russian are feminine. And in union with the masculine Teutonic race - they can produce, or would be produced, over time, a wonderful human material for the history».

Hitler dreamed of creating the "paradise on the earth" on conquered lands of East Europe in which the manly Aryan Germans will occupy the top of society and do creative and political work. And living the Slavs will do something for which they were intended. They must obey, and to be engaged in farming, do ordinary routine work, can count to 100 and go to a church. «Kuche, Kirche, Kinder» (kitchen, church, child) is the formula of an ideal of feminine behavior in the rigid patriarchal society.



In Russian philosophy the state and the motherland (homeland) is a different concept. Motherland (home, place of birth) is a mother, and the state (government, state apparatus, army, etc.) is a father. This is a very long time for explain why so it is. But a couple of examples: in the Middle Ages, a wedding dress of Tsar’s bride decorated with images of Russian cities (the symbol of marriage Tsar and Russia). And in 20 century one of nicknames of Stalin was "Father of nations”.
Russians say "We live in the best Motherland in the world, but in the most terrible state."
It's some Oedipus complex at the national level! >_<

Re: @LOL@

[inner-wings.livejournal.com]

I never knew that the female personification was also used negatively, but it makes a lot of sense. It's only been fairly recent (in the grander scheme of things) that women aren't seen as innately inferior and that typical feminine traits are submissive, negative and/or weak, so I can definitely see people latching on to that to make their argument. ...well, they still do things like that today, they just have to be a bit more underhanded about it. >.<

This kind of stuff is so interesting. You'd think symbols like that wouldn't mean that much, but they end saying all kinds of things, huh. ;) Like how most countries, regardless of their personifications, are referred to as feminine to imply ownership. Women are owned, and so the female land is also owned.

lol, Oedipus complex. That fits way too well!

[kisaragifan.livejournal.com]

Himaruya admitted that he can't draw girls when he first started.

[fishheadpie.livejournal.com]

Yay~ It's time for me to reveal my fondness for Russian history!

For a lot of Russia's history, it has been considered feminine. The time when Russia was called the 'fatherland' was when it became communist, but prior to that it was considered feminine.

This quote explains it quite well:
"Countries no doubt have gender- and that of Russia is essentially feminine... It is the strong femininity of hers which accounts for Russia's peculiar fertility. Give her the start, the seed... and she mothers it in her own peculiar way to quite the astonishing results." ~ Henry Charles Bainbridge

(Though, I find the quote quite hilarious when I think about Ivan. XD)

[digistardbz.livejournal.com]

Especially considering mothers can be DAMN frightening when angered.

They may have considered the Soviet Union to be a "Fatherland", but as far as I'm concerned only a woman could be that thorough, overprotective and certainly vindictive.

Nyorussia is certainly a guilty pleasure of mine, then. >.>;;;

"Motherland" (Rodina) and "Fatherland" (Otechestvo)

[mlmaos.livejournal.com]

Russian revolution was really the attempt to transform Russia-woman into a man. Unsuccessful attempt. :(

It was very long story about the words "Motherland" (Rodina) and "Fatherland" (Otechestvo). The Communists did not like both. They were internationalists, and thought "motherland" too nationalistic (and soft, non-revolutionary) word. But the word "Fatherland" was part of the monarchical motto of Russian empire - "For God, Tsar and Fatherland!". But in 1941, Stalin authorized the use of all patriotic terms and images. The Communists were so frightened that they used all - from the patriotic placard with image of Motherland to the icons with Mother of God.

Yeah, it is funny thinks so about Ivan! Lol!

On the other hand, children may be born with totally unexpected features. >_<
For example, communism - is the child of Germany (or Prussia - I do not remember exactly).
After all, this ideology was created by the German philosophers, and the Red Revolution in Russia occurred with the some help of German money and secret service. Germany Empire wanted destabilize situation in Russia, for it will drop out of the War and can not control Eastern Europe. The Germans thought that communists and civil war make Russia limply and weak country. Thus, in the hands of Lenin and his team gave the resources of a huge country… and they could hold on.
Here's a spit against the wind.
It is the lesson for the whole world.

[satoshi69.livejournal.com]

Lol, Mother Russia is Ivan. Remember his epic apron? xD He is quite a careful mommy, who always ready to feed his children with some pancakes and borscht. He'll kill them, if they can't play nice though. x) (Why is this so reminds me of my mom? xD)

All mothers

[mlmaos.livejournal.com]

Lol! All mothers are really alike!

And I think Ivan is not like when someone waive his cooking.
"Eat, I said! Eat! Or I feel hurt and kill you! Diet? What is diet?!”

[m-dono.livejournal.com]

From what I recall:
Hetalia-wise, Mother Russia was made by Western fans and often used in fanfiction. That being said, they make her Russia's (Ivan) mother.

IRL-wise, Mother Russia is one of the many considered official personifications of Russia c:

Ivan's mother.

[mlmaos.livejournal.com]

Ivan's mother...
Do you mean Kievan Rus'? Alas, I read only few fan-works about it.
Can you help me with it? : o

Re: Ivan's mother.

[m-dono.livejournal.com]

Well, I've never heard of a "Kievan Rus" before--maybe it's a name for "Mother Russia"? I'm no expert in Russian culture, but I think I can help c:

But all I can say, any concept of "Russia' Mother" is all fanbased. I have yet to see anyone say, "Russia had a mom officially in the series." I'll check the profiles again, I must've missed it c:

[automailradish.livejournal.com]

I was too lazy to read through all the other comments, but I thought I'd answer this from what I know.

The term mother Russia actually comes from the old Pagan religion that was practiced in the area :) The pagans had no actually personification or god for the earth, but they held it in high reverence calling it "Moist mother earth," which is where mother Russia comes from :D

Sorry if this has already been answered :)