Civilizing Russia's “Barbarous Kingdom”
Gender and Violence in Hulu's The Great
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Abstract
The Hulu series The Great, an ahistorical satire of the eighteenth-century Russian Empire, set at the courts of Peter III and Catherine II, doubles as a critique of contemporary politics and culture. Created for Anglophone audiences with little knowledge of history, but aware of stereotypes of Russia as a despotic, dysfunctional backwater, the show's appeal rests on the love-hate relationship between Peter the bro-emperor and the “girlboss” empress Catherine, as well as the expectation that Catherine, ultimately, will “have-it-all.” This article examines the gender dynamics structuring Peter's and Catherine's narrative arcs and argues that Catherine's trajectory from naïve, self-declared enlightened European princess to skilled, pragmatic ruler undermines Peter's attempt to liberate himself from an outdated model of masculinity.
Contributor Notes
Marjorie L. Hilton is professor of history at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, and the author of Selling to the Masses: Retailing in Russia, 1880–1930 (University of Pittsburg Press, 2012), as well as several published articles. Her research specializations include consumer cultures, gender, and the cultural Cold War. Her current research project explores Soviet gymnastics in the 1970s and the roles of Olga Korbut and Soviet and American sports officials in the global commodification of the sport. Email: mhilton@murraystate.edu |