Sophie Dolgikoff

Basic Aktualizováno: 2025-12-07

Research Status: Basic Last Updated: 2025-12-07 Diary Coverage: Book 00 (1884 retrospective preface)

Identity

Mademoiselle Sophie Dolgikoff was one of Marie Bashkirtseff's governesses during her childhood in Russia. She was notably young for a governess - only 16 years old when she entered the Bashkirtseff household.

Background

Marie describes her as coming from Russia: "Sainte Russie!" (Holy Russia!) - Marie's characteristic exclamation suggesting both her Russian origin and perhaps her innocent, provincial character.

The Dolgikoff name suggests she came from Russian nobility, as many noble families employed daughters of impoverished noble families as governesses and companions.

Role in the Household

Unlike Madame Melnikoff (who was treated as an equal and courted by men in the household), Sophie Dolgikoff was "traitée en enfant de la maison" (treated as a child of the house). This different treatment likely reflected:

Her young age (only 16)
Her less elevated social status
Her role as companion rather than formal instructor

The Failed Marriage Arrangement

Marie recounts a dramatic incident involving Sophie's near-marriage in Book 00, paragraph 00.36:

A young man was brought to the household by Walitsky. This young man was "connu par ses échecs matrimoniaux" (known for his matrimonial failures/failures to marry). Despite this concerning reputation, marriage arrangements between him and Sophie seemed to be progressing well ("tout semblait marcher à ravir").

Then one evening, Marie entered Sophie's room to find her "qui pleurait comme une perdue, le nez dans ses coussins" (crying like a lost soul, her nose in her cushions). The whole household rushed in asking "Quoi ? qu'est-il arrivé ?" (What? What happened?)

Marie's narrative breaks off at this dramatic moment without revealing what caused the crying or what ultimately happened to the marriage arrangement. This tantalizing incompleteness is characteristic of Marie's retrospective preface - she drops vivid scenes without always providing resolution.

Historical Context

Young Governesses in Russian Noble Households

It was common in 19th-century Russian aristocratic families to employ:

Daughters of impoverished noble families as governesses or companions
Very young women (16-18) as "demoiselles de compagnie" rather than formal instructors
Girls from good families who needed respectable situations

Being "treated as a child of the house" meant Sophie occupied an ambiguous position:

Not quite a servant
Not quite family
Not quite an independent employee
Suitable for marriage arrangements within her class

Matrimonial Arrangements

The fact that Walitsky brought a young man "known for his matrimonial failures" to potentially marry the young governess reveals several social realities:

1. Governesses as marriage prospects: Young governesses in noble households were considered suitable marriage matches, particularly if they had good family backgrounds 2. Intermediaries: Family friends like Walitsky played matchmaking roles 3. Limited options: A man "known for his matrimonial failures" might still be considered acceptable for a governess with limited prospects 4. Vulnerability: Young women in dependent positions were vulnerable to disappointing romantic situations

Characteristic Elements

This story exemplifies several recurring themes in Marie's preface:

Dramatic scenes: The crying girl, the rushing household
Incomplete narratives: We never learn the resolution
Social observation: Marie notes the man's reputation and Sophie's tears without moralizing
Youth and vulnerability: Sophie was only 16, treated as a child, yet facing adult matrimonial pressures

Related Entries

#Madame_Melnikoff - Previous governess, treated very differently
#Madame_Brenne - Another governess, the French one who died in Crimea
#Walitsky - Family friend who brought the unsuitable young man
#Russia - Cultural context for young noble governesses
#Grand_maman - Head of household during this period

Sources

Marie's 1884 preface (Book 00, paragraph 00.36)
Historical context about governesses in Russian aristocratic households

%%2025-12-07T15:15:00 RSR: Created glossary entry for Sophie Dolgikoff based on Book 00, paragraph 00.36. Only 16 years old, treated as child of house, nearly married to man with bad reputation - story breaks off dramatically. Characteristic of Marie's incomplete but vivid childhood memories.%%