"Never-Wash" and Feminism

English 1301-175

08 April 2016

#DirtDealandMarriageBought

Never wash and you can buy a bride who will oblige.

"Never-Wash" and Feminism

             “Never-Wash” is the Russian version of the Bearskin fairy tale. The story is much like the other versions of the story. It only differs in the details of how the main character came to make his deal with devil and how his deal leads him to his wife. Through a feminist criticism, “Never-Wash” reveals itself to limit women to minor roles with little substance or worth.

            The story’s first mention of women in the story describes them as items to be owned.  The devil mentions the king’s three daughters by saying, “two of them are mine, but the third shall be yours” (Ashliman). This is what causes the soldier to agree to the deal the devil has proposed. The soldier asks for piles of money before he asks for anything else. This reveals how the narrative focuses on the male’s need for power. At the time of this story money equated status and this is what the soldier pleaded for. When the king summons the soldier to ask for money, again the story shows how money is valued over women.  The king readily offers one of his daughters in exchange for money. The author writes the following about the king, “he was very fond of his daughters, but still he could not do anything whatsoever without money” (Ashliman). The author briefly mentions the king’s feelings for his daughters but his feelings are superseded by his greed for money. From a feminist viewpoint, the author shows little regard for the value of a woman. The story shows that women are a type of currency, which reflects the culture of that time in history.  Women had no voice in how their lives would play out. The power of their choices and lives were in the hands of their fathers and then upon marriage their husbands.

             Once the soldier and king make a deal, the king receives the portrait of the soldier looking filthy and unkempt. He takes it to show to his daughters in hopes that one will agree to marry him and save the kingdom. Based on his looks two of the daughters reject him. One even says, “What! I would rather remain a maiden; I would rather tie myself up with the devil than go with him” (Ashliman). They appear concerned only with image and their own selves. Here the author portrays the women as superficial and vain. Again, reflecting a time when woman were not thought of as having much intelligence or thoughts beyond looks and marrying rich.

            In multiple instances in the story, the author attempts to teach the audience the benefit of being loyal to your man, whether it be your father or your husband. In looking at the outcomes for the women we see how this is emphasized. The daughter who agrees to marry the soldier is rewarded richly for doing as her father wished. Meanwhile, the other two daughters who rejected their father’s wish lose their souls to the devil. This shows the author’s clear intention to teach women that is it better to obey or risk punishment.

            By the end, it becomes evident “Never-Wash” comes at a time way before women’s empowerment. The story reveals a very defined role for women that is subservient and dismisses any intellect a woman might have. A feminist viewpoint exposes a story meant to teach women their place in a time where they were considered nothing more than objects.

Works Cited

Ashliman, D.L. “Bearskin and other folktales of type 361.” University of Pittsburgh, 24 October 2013. Web. 03 Feb 2016.