A brief summary of A. Pushkin’s story “Dubrovsky”
In his estate Pokrovskoe lives a rich and distinguished gentleman Kirila Petrovich Troekurov. Knowing his steep temper, he is afraid of all neighbors, except the poor landowner Andrei Gavrilovich Dubrovsky, a retired lieutenant of the Guard and former co-worker Troyekurov. Both of them are widowers. Dubrovsky has Vladimir’s son, an employee in Petersburg, and Troyekurov has a daughter Masha, who lives with her father, and Troyekurov often talks about his desire to marry children.
An unexpected quarrel quarrels friends, and the proud and independent behavior of Dubrovsky distances them from each other even more. The self-sacrificing and all-powerful Troyekurov, in order to remove irritation, decides to deprive Dubrovsky of his estate and orders the assessor Shabashkin to find a “legal” way to this lawlessness. Judging chicanery fulfill Troyekurov’s wish, and Dubrovsky is summoned to the zemstvo judge to decide the case.
In a judicial meeting in the
Dubrovsky’s health worsens, and the serf-old sergeant Yegorovna, who was following him, writes a letter to Petersburg to Vladimir Dubrovsky, informing him about the incident. Having received the letter, Vladimir Dubrovsky brags about his vacation and goes home. The dear coachman tells him about the circumstances of the case. At home he finds a sick and senile father.
Andrei Gavrilovich Dubrovsky is slowly dying. Troyekurov, who is tortured by his conscience, is going to put up with Dubrovsky, who, at the sight of the enemy, breaks paralysis. Vladimir orders Troyekurov to be sent out, and at that moment old Dubrovsky dies.
After the funeral of Dubrovsky in Kistenevka, judicial officials and the police chief come to introduce Troekurov into ownership rights. The peasants refuse to obey and want to crack down on officials. Dubrovsky stops them.
At night in the house, Dubrovsky finds the blacksmith
On Dubrovsky lies the suspicion of arson and murder of officials. Troekurov sends a report to the governor, and a new business is being tied up. But here another event distracts everyone’s attention from Dubrovsky: in the province there were robbers who robbed all the landowners of the province, but did not touch only the possessions of Troyekurov. Everyone is sure that the leader of the robbers is Dubrovsky.
For his illegitimate son, Sasha Troyekurov writes from Moscow a French teacher, Monsieur Desforges, who is greatly impressed by the beauty of the seventeen-year-old Marya Kirilovna Troekurova, but she does not pay any attention to the hired teacher. Deforge is put to the test, pushing into the room with a hungry bear. The teacher, who is not confused, kills the beast. His determination and courage make a great impression on Masha. Between them comes a friendly rapprochement, which becomes a source of love. On the day of the temple holiday, guests come to the house of Troyekurov. At dinner it comes to Dubrovsky. One of the guests, a landowner named Anton Pafnutich Spitsyn, admits that he once gave a false testimony against Dubrovsky in favor of Kirill Petrovich in court, One lady reports that a week ago Dubrovsky had dined with her, and tells the story that her steward, sent to the post office with a letter and 2,000 rubles for her son, a guard officer, returned and informed that Dubrovsky had robbed him, but was convicted of lying by a man who came to visit her and called her former colleague her deceased husband. The summoned clerk says that Dubrovsky really stopped him on his way to the post office, but after reading the letter from his mother to his son, he did not steal. The money was found in the chest of the clerk. The lady believes that the man who pretended to be a friend of her husband was Dubrovsky himself. But according to her descriptions she had a man of about 35 years, and Troyekurov knows for certain that Dubrovsky is 23 years old. This fact is confirmed also by the new chief of police, who dined with Troyekurov. that he was robbed by Dubrovsky, but was convicted of a lie by a man who came to visit her and called her former colleague her deceased husband. The summoned clerk says that Dubrovsky really stopped him on his way to the post office, but after reading the letter from his mother to his son, he did not steal. The money was found in the chest of the clerk. The lady believes that the man who pretended to be a friend of her husband was Dubrovsky himself. But according to her descriptions she had a man of about 35 years, and Troyekurov knows for certain that Dubrovsky is 23 years old. This fact is confirmed also by the new chief of police, who dined with Troyekurov. that he was robbed by Dubrovsky, but was convicted of a lie by a man who came to visit her and called her former colleague her deceased husband. The summoned clerk says that Dubrovsky really stopped him on his way to the post office, but after reading the letter from his mother to his son, he did not steal. The money was found in the chest of the clerk. The lady believes that the man who pretended to be a friend of her husband was Dubrovsky himself. But according to her descriptions she had a man of about 35 years, and Troyekurov knows for certain that Dubrovsky is 23 years old. This fact is confirmed also by the new chief of police, who dined with Troyekurov. The money was found in the chest of the clerk. The lady believes that the man who pretended to be a friend of her husband was Dubrovsky himself. But according to her descriptions she had a man of about 35 years, and Troyekurov knows for certain that Dubrovsky is 23 years old. This fact is confirmed also by the new chief of police, who dined with Troyekurov. The money was found in the chest of the clerk. The lady believes that the man who pretended to be a friend of her husband was Dubrovsky himself. But according to her descriptions she had a man of about 35 years, and Troyekurov knows for certain that Dubrovsky is 23 years old. This fact is confirmed also by the new chief of police, who dined with Troyekurov.
The holiday in the house of Troyekurov ends with a ball, on which the teacher dances. After dinner, Anton Pafnutich, who has a large amount of money with him, expresses a desire to spend the night in one room with Deforge, as he already knows about the bravery of the Frenchman and hopes for his protection in case of an attack by the robbers. The teacher answers by answering Anton Pafnutich’s request. At night, the landlord feels someone trying to take money from him, hidden in a sack on his chest. Opening his eyes, he sees that DeForge is standing over him with a pistol. The teacher informs Anton Pafnutich that he is Dubrovsky.
How did Dubrovsky get into Troekurov’s house as a teacher? At the postal station he met a Frenchman who was going to Troyekurov, gave him 10,000 rubles, having received the teacher’s paper instead. With these documents he came to Troyekurov and settled in a house where everyone fell in love with him and did not suspect who he really was. Once in a room with a man who could reasonably consider him an enemy, Dubrovsky could not resist the temptation to take revenge. In the morning, Spitsyn leaves the house of Troyekurov, not speaking a word about the night incident. Soon the other guests left. Life in Pokrovsky flows in an ordinary way. Marya Kirilovna feels love for Deforge and is annoyed with herself. Deforge is reverent with her, and this calms her pride. But once, Deforge secretly sends her a note in which she asks for a date. At the appointed time Masha comes to the agreed place, and Deforge informs her that he is forced to leave soon, but before that he must tell her something important. Suddenly he discovers to Masha who he really is. Soothing the frightened Masha, he says that he forgave her father. That it was she who saved Kiril Petrovich that the house in which Mariya Kirilovna lives is sacred to him. During Dubrovsky’s confessions, a low whistle is heard. Dubrovsky asks Masha to give him a promise that, in case of misfortune, she will resort to his help, and disappears. Returning to the house, Masha finds alarm there, and her father tells her that Deforge, according to the arriving police chief, is none other than Dubrovsky. The disappearance of the teacher confirms the validity of these words. but before that I must tell her something important. Suddenly he discovers to Masha who he really is. Soothing the frightened Masha, he says that he forgave her father. That it was she who saved Kiril Petrovich that the house in which Mariya Kirilovna lives is sacred to him. During Dubrovsky’s confessions, a low whistle is heard. Dubrovsky asks Masha to give him a promise that, in case of misfortune, she will resort to his help, and disappears. Returning to the house, Masha finds alarm there, and her father tells her that Deforge, according to the arriving police chief, is none other than Dubrovsky. The disappearance of the teacher confirms the validity of these words. but before that I must tell her something important. Suddenly he discovers to Masha who he really is. Soothing the frightened Masha, he says that he forgave her father. That it was she who saved Kiril Petrovich that the house in which Mariya Kirilovna lives is sacred to him. During Dubrovsky’s confessions, a low whistle is heard. Dubrovsky asks Masha to give him a promise that, in case of misfortune, she will resort to his help, and disappears. Returning to the house, Masha finds alarm there, and her father tells her that Deforge, according to the arriving police chief, is none other than Dubrovsky. The disappearance of the teacher confirms the validity of these words. – a priest for him. During Dubrovsky’s confessions, a low whistle is heard. Dubrovsky asks Masha to give him a promise that, in case of misfortune, she will resort to his help, and disappears. Returning to the house, Masha finds alarm there, and her father tells her that Deforge, according to the arriving police chief, is none other than Dubrovsky. The disappearance of the teacher confirms the validity of these words. – a priest for him. During Dubrovsky’s confessions, a low whistle is heard. Dubrovsky asks Masha to give him a promise that, in case of misfortune, she will resort to his help, and disappears. Returning to the house, Masha finds alarm there, and her father tells her that Deforge, according to the arriving police chief, is none other than Dubrovsky. The disappearance of the teacher confirms the validity of these words.
The following summer Prince Vereisky returns to his estate Arbatov, 30 versts from Pokrovsky, returning from foreign lands. He visits Troyekurov, and Masha amazes him with her beauty. Troekurov and his daughter make a return visit. Vereisky arranges a wonderful reception for them.
Masha is sitting in her room and embroidering. An arm stretches out into the open window and puts a letter on her hoop, but at this time Masha is called to his father. She hides the letter and goes. Her father finds Vereisky, and Kirila Petrovich tells her that the prince is wooing her. Masha freezes from surprise and turns pale, but her father does not pay attention to her tears.
In her room, Masha with horror thinks about marriage with Vereisky and believes that it is better to marry Dubrovsky. Suddenly she remembers the letter and finds in it only one phrase: “In the evening at 10 o’clock in the same place”.
During the night meeting, Dubrovsky persuades Masha to resort to his patronage. Masha hopes to touch the heart of his father with entreaties and requests. But if he turns out to be inexorable and forces her to marry, she suggests Dubrovsky to come for her and promises to become his wife. At parting, Dubrovsky gives Masha a ring and says that if trouble happens, it will be enough for her to lower the ring in the hollow of the tree, then he will know what to do.
The wedding is being prepared, and Masha decides to act. She wrote a letter to Vereisky, begging him to abandon her hand. But this gives the opposite result. Learning of Masha’s letter, Kirila Petrovich in a fury appoints a wedding the next day. Masha with tears asks him not to extradite her for Vereisky, but Kirilla Petrovich is reluctant, and then Masha declares that she will resort to Dubrovsky’s defense. After locking Masha, Kirila Petrovich withdraws, ordering him not to let her out of the room.
To help Marya Kirilovna comes Sasha. Masha instructs him to take the ring into a hollow. Sasha fulfills her errand, but seeing this some ragged boy tries to take hold of the ring. Between the boys a fight is tied up, a gardener comes to help Sasha, and the boy is led to the court yard. Suddenly they meet Kiril Petrovich, and Sasha under threat talks to him about the assignment that his sister gave him. Kirila Petrovich guessed about Masha’s relations with Dubrovsky. He orders to lock up the captured boy and sends it to the police captain. The Ispravnik and Troyekurov agree on something and release the boy. He runs to Kistenevka, and from there secretly makes his way into the Kistenev grove.
In the house of Troyekurov there are preparations for the wedding. Masha is taken to the church, where her fiance is waiting. The wedding begins. Masha’s hopes for the appearance of Dubrovsky evaporate. The young people go to Arbatovo, when on a country road the carriage is surrounded by armed people, and the man opens the door in a half-mask. He tells Masha that she is free. Hearing that this is Dubrovsky, the prince shoots and hurts him. They seize the prince and intend to kill him, but Dubrovsky does not tell him to touch him. Dubrovsky again tells Masha that she is free, but Masha replies that it is already late. Because of the pain and excitement, Dubrovsky loses consciousness, and the accomplices take him away.
In the forest, the battle fortification of the bandit gang, behind a small rampart, is a few huts. From an old hut comes an old woman and asks a guard who is singing a robber song to be silent, because the master is resting. Dubrovsky is in the hut. Suddenly, there is an alarm in the camp. The robbers under the command of Dubrovsky occupy certain places. Arriving guard-keepers report that there are soldiers in the forest. A battle begins, in which the victory is on the side of the bandits. A few days later, Dubrovsky collects his companions and announces his intention to leave them. Dubrovsky disappears. There is a rumor that he has fled abroad.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)