Title: Powerful Rasputin??
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009
Time: 7:13 AM
The picture below shows a cartoon showing Rasputin with the Tsar and the Tsarina, published in 1916. The words on the cartoon mean “The Russian Tsars at home”.
What I feel about it
The picture published is trying to convey the message to the people that sees this that Rasputin had full control over the Tsar and the Tsarina. This makes Rasputin even more powerful than the Tsar and the Tsarina put together. The way the artist drew this cartoon creates an impression that the Tsar and the Tsarina are ignorant about how Rasputin is “using” them.
Personally, I feel that the people makes this kind of assumption about their Tsar and the Romanov Family or people like Rasputin, is mainly because they cannot understand what the Tsar is doing for them. An example would be when people see Rasputin enters the palace as and when he likes. Common folk that does not know of what that is happening in the palace, and would mistake that Girgori Rasputin is the Tsarina’s lover; but in actual fact, Rasputin was sent there to treat Alexei, the Tsarevich, who has hemophilia inherited from Queen Victoria, from the pain he suffers from due to his injuries.
If Alexei did not suffer so much for his medical condition, Rasputin would not have gain as much power as he had. It was due to the fact that Rasputin was the only one that could relief Alexei of his pain and sufferings that none of the other doctors could do, that the Tsar and the Tsarina close a blind eye to his unruly actions.
It is also that Rasputin convinced the Tsar to lead the army in the war, that led to the downfall of the Romanov Family. As the Tsar was busy fighting the war, he became the Tsarina’s personal adviser.
Power often brings destruction, and Rasputin was murdered by a group of nobles soon after. I think that it is rather unfair to other people like the Tsarevich, as Rasputin was the only one that has the ability to reduce the pain he is suffering from, from his injuries.
Xingyi :) 3e5
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The point to this cartoon is not about whether it was fair for the people to judge the Romanovs.
Rather it is more a form of critique about the capability of the Tsar as a leader of Russia. Yes, it is the fault of Rasputin who led the Tsar to war. But, we are also looking at the Tsar's weakness for being unable to escape the influence of Rasputin, and ultimately to be used by him.
It takes an extraordinary effort to rule a country and not everyone can do it. So when someone does take up that role, we expect a lot of him, because his inability would mean suffering for all the people under his rule. When we are evaluating the role of leaders, we naturally have higher expectations of them.
Luvz it ;)