Dr. Irina V. Ivliyeva, Department of Arts Languages and Philosophy
Wednesday, February 13 at 6:00 p.m.
Public House Brewing Company’s Rolla Brewpub Loft

Title: “The Formula for Happiness in Russian Fairy Tales”
Abstract: Everybody has a special place in their heart for fairy tales from their childhood, no matter what culture they are from. Focusing on discovering the secret of happiness, rather than on the recipe for success, Russian fairy tales show how an average (undereducated, weak, or disadvantaged) person overcomes all obstacles to “live happily ever after to a ripe old age”. After a brief review of the history of Russian oral tradition, which was influenced by a unique blend of Christian and Pagan beliefs, Ivliyeva will present the most famous Russian fairy tale collections, discuss their educational nature, and examine the social and psychological values they reflect. Examples include the use of magic numbers and patterns, symbolic colors, fixed epithets, transformation, and the role of animals.

Brief Biography: Irina V. Ivliyeva is a Professor of Russian. She has taught at Missouri S&T since 1997. She holds a PhD degree from the Russian Academy of Sciences and a master’s degree from the Moscow State University. Before coming to S&T, Ivliyeva taught in Maryland, Hungary, and Russia.