Robert K. Massie. Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman.
New York: Random House, 2011
As reviewed by Ted Odenwald
According to narrative historian, Robert Massie, Catherine the Great of Russia was “a majestic figure in the age of monarchy,” unequaled by all enthroned women except Elizabeth I of England. Her achievements rank her alongside the most famous Russian ruler, Peter the Great, as both expanded Russian territories and influence within Europe, advancing their nation toward an incredibly rich culture. But this monarch cannot be measured by political accomplishments alone. Her emergence as a leader is in itself a testimony to her strength of character, her vision, and her intelligence—in short, her greatness.
Catherine’s youth was soul-crushing, requiring a resilient spirit to endure –much less to prevail. As Princess Sophia in a minor German principality, she was intentionally starved for affection by her mother, and basically ignored by her father—except when he could use her as a bargaining chip for gaining prestige—by marrying her off for breeding purposes to another German selected by Russian Empress Elizabeth. Her marriage to “Grand Duke” Peter was a disaster; although the couple was expected to produce the Empress’ heir, there was absolutely no intimacy between them because of his aversion to her, and perhaps due to his distaste for Russian expectations. After nine years without an heir, Elizabeth forced Catherine to take a lover, who would sire the child (legitimacy was apparently not an issue.). Immediately after the son, Paul, was born, he was taken by the childless empress to nurture as her own. Devastated, Catherine was forced to live in isolation from her child, and she was abandoned by her lover, who had strutted off, his royal, loveless functions having been performed. She was berated and humiliated frequently for her “failures” in the marital relationship. When her husband rose to the throne as Peter III, he humiliated her publicly, calling her a fool; he also openly flaunted his preference for his mistress, whom he intended to be his full-time consort once he had disposed of his nuisance wife.
Perhaps Catherine’s greatest achievement was her ability to rise above all of this degradation. She dedicated herself to becoming a Russian. She taught herself the Russian language (which her husband refused to learn); she also left the Lutheran church and became a devout member of the Russian Orthodox church (a change which her husband refused to make). She educated herself as a student of the Enlightenment, becoming familiar with the works of many of the philosophers of the period. She also struck up relationships with such great minds as Voltaire and Diderot. She embraced the Russian people at all levels while her husband remained faithful to his idol, Frederick of Prussia—a long-time rival of Russia. By the time Peter III had ruled for six months, the nobles, the Orthodox Church, and the common people all had had enough of him; they much preferred his abused wife, and supported her usurpation of the crown.
Massie spends a great deal of time focusing upon Empress Catherine’s personal relationships. In her 30+ years of ruling, she had a dozen lovers (known as “favorites”). Some of these men were powerful, influential leaders. Poniatowski was her lover for five years; though she always felt affection for him, she arranged that he become King of Poland, a move guaranteeing that they would always be separated. Orlov, her “favorite” for 13 years, was a key figure in getting her the crown. Her most famous and powerful lover was Potemkin, a statesman respected throughout Europe. Most of her remaining lovers were much younger than she—all handsome, dashing soldiers with whom she would eventually quarrel or become bored with because of their inferior intelligence. Massie asserts that there appears to be no truth to the salacious gossip about her behavior and her death. Her unusual history of relationships for the last 40 years of her life could very well have been her response to years of deprivation of love, including 14 years of parental indifference and nine years in a chaste marriage.
Catherine accomplished a great deal as empress. “She carried [Peter the Great’s] legacy forward. He had given Russia a ‘window in the West’ in the Baltic coast…Catherine opened another window, this one to the Black Sea.” While Peter imported all sorts of technological advances and developed governmental institutions, “…Catherine brought European moral, political, and judicial philosophy, literature, art, architecture, sculpture, medicine, and education.” She assembled Europe’s greatest art gallery, The Hermitage. She also founded hospitals, schools (including training schools for women), and orphanages.
Finding that Russian laws were a mess, she called representatives from all walks of life to inform her of what was needed in the nation’s laws. While her efforts to have serfdom abolished actually failed, she was widely recognized for her sense of fairness and compassion. Though she was capable of ruling with an iron hand, she was generally known as a “benevolent despot.” She was successful in making the Church give up its land and serfs, and in making the members of the church employees of the state. She defeated the Ottoman Empire in two wars and put down the Pugachev revolt, which was led by a Cossack who claimed to be Peter III, Catherine’s deceased husband. She was instrumental in reducing the threat of smallpox by publicly urging people to seek inoculations—and she set an example by being inoculated.
Using many of Catherine’s memoir entries and letters, Massie has presented an in-depth account of a remarkable, resilient woman, who taught herself and disciplined herself so that she eventually became one of the most respected, intelligent leaders of all time.
Ted Odenwald and his wife, Shirley have lived in Oakland for 41 years. He taught HS English at Glen Rock High School for all of those years plus one more. Now he is enjoying time spent with his family, singing in the North Jersey Chorus and quenching his wanderlust. Ted is also the Worship Leader at the Ramapo Valley Baptist Church in Oakland.