Summary Before sunrise
G. Hauptmann
Before sunrise
The action takes place in the contemporary writer of Silesia.
In the estate of Krause appears Alfred Lot, he would like to see the master of engineer. Frau Krause – a screaming peasant woman, appreciating the modest look and rustic clothes of a stranger, takes him for a petitioner and drives away. Hoffmann is petitioned by his mother-in-law, he finds out in the friend of the gymnasium’s arrival that he has not seen for ten years. He is happy to meet, gladly recollects the past. What naive idealists they were, reveled in high thoughts about the reorganization of the world, universal brotherhood. And these ridiculous plans to go to America, buy land and organize a small colony there, where life would be based on other principles. Hoffmann and Lot recall friends of youth, their fates differed in different ways, others are no longer in the world. Looking at the situation at home, Lot notices the combination of newfangledness and
Lot tells of himself: he was convicted innocently, attributing his involvement in illegal political activities, he spent two years in prison, where he wrote his first book on economic problems, then moved to America, now works in the newspaper.
A good time, in fact, was, recalls Hoffmann, but how much he was given communication with friends, they owe him a lot of breadth of views, freedom from prejudice. But let everything in the world go its natural way, do not try to knock a wall against your forehead. Hoffmann calls himself a supporter of practical actions, and not abstract theories, which have nothing to do with reality. Of course, he sympathizes with the poor, but a change in their fate must come from above.
Hoffmann is full of complacency – he is now a person with a position, successfully engaged in entrepreneurship. In the estate the father-in-law lives because a pregnant wife needs a calm atmosphere and clean air. Lot has already heard about the grandiose scam, when Hoffman managed to get an exclusive right to all coal mined in the
Lot acquainted with his sister-in-law Helen Helen. The girl does not consider it necessary to hide from the guest how hated this village and this house is to her. The coal found here in a moment turned the poor peasants into rich people. So the state and her family found. And these miners are sullen, bitter people, causing fear. Lot admits that he came precisely for them – we must find and eliminate the reasons that make these people so gloomy and embittered.
Dinner impresses Lot with the richness of the table setting and the sophistication of dishes and drinks. The frowned Frau Krause in silk and expensive ornaments does not miss the opportunity to boast that they are not worthy of the price for the sake of chic. At dinner, the neighbor’s son, Frau Krause’s nephew Wilhelm Kaal, is an empty and stupid young man, from idleness, engaged in hunting larks and pigeons. He is considered to be the bridegroom of Elena, but she does not like him. The general astonishment is that Lot refuses alcohol, he is a convinced teetotaler, and talks extensively about the dangers of alcohol and the perniciousness of drinking, not noticing the confusion of those gathered at the table.
In the morning the drunk Krause comes back from the tavern, unequivocally sticking to her daughter. Elena struggles to escape. She wants to communicate with Lot, who seems to her an amazing, unusual person. Life here is wretched, no food for the mind, she explains to the guest. Her only joy is books, but Lot scolds her beloved Werther, calling him a stupid book for weak people, gets from him and Ibsen from Zola, whom he calls “an inevitable evil.” And in the village wilderness a lot of charms. Lot has never aspired to personal well-being, his goal is to struggle for the sake of progress, poverty and sickness, slavery and meanness must disappear, it is necessary to change these ridiculous social relations. Elena listens to him with bated breath, her speech amazes her, but they find a response in her heart.
Frau Krause, acting as a champion of morality, intends to drive out the employee, who spent the night with the coachman. Elena stands up for her protection, accusing her stepmother of hypocrisy – as a rule, Kaal only leaves her bedroom in the morning.
Hoffman talks with Dr. Schimmelpfennning, who paid a visit to his wife. He fears for the life of the future, the child after the loss of the first child. The doctor advises him to immediately separate the infant from the mother, he must live separately from her, and education can be entrusted to her sister-in-law. Hoffman agrees, he has already bought a suitable house.
Elena is on the verge of hysterics. The father is a drunkard, a lustful animal. Stepmother – a debaucher, a procurer, mediating between her lover and her. It is impossible to endure these abominations any longer, we must run away from home or commit suicide. She can not comfort herself with vodka like a sister. Hoffmann affectionately persuades the girl, it seems, there is a close relationship between them. They both approach little to this peasant environment, Hoffmann says, they are created for each other. Soon they will live separately, it will replace the mother’s mother. In the fact that Elena does not react to the prospects outlined by him, Hoffmann sees the destructive influence of Lot and calls to beware of him; he is a dreamer, a master to cloud his brains. And in general, the very communication with such a person compromises.
Hoffmann tries to discredit Lot in Elena’s eyes, asking about his bride. Lot explains: the engagement was upset when he got to prison. And in general, he probably is not suitable for family life, because he aspires to give himself up to the struggle. Lot outlines the reason for his arrival – he intends to study the situation of local miners. He asks Hoffmann for permission to inspect the mines to get acquainted with the production. He is indignant: why undermine the foundations in a place where one of your friends has found happiness and firmly rose to his feet? He agrees to pay all expenses for the trip and even provide material support in the election campaign of the party to which Lot belongs. But he firmly stands on his, friends quarrel, and Lot vomits the check issued before by Hoffmann.
After a quarter of an hour Hoffmann apologizes for his quick temper and pleads with Lot to stay. Elena is frightened that Lot, without which she no longer thinks of her future existence, will leave, she confesses to him in love. Lot seems that at last he found the one he had been looking for all these years. He is surprised by some oddities in Elena’s behavior, but she simply fears that when he learns the truth about their family, he will push him away and drive her away.
Wife Hoffman begins to give birth. Lot talks with the doctor on this matter in the house. Schimmelpfennning – another of his former friends, who also changed himself, retreated from the principles that they professed in their youth. Returning, he said, into a mousetrap, he makes money. He dreams, having achieved financial independence, to do scientific work at last. And the situation here is terrible – drunkenness, gluttony, incest and, as a consequence, widespread degeneration. He wondered how Lot lived these years. Did not you get married? I remember that he dreamed of a sort of vigorous woman with healthy blood in her veins. Learning that Lot has fallen in love with Elena and intends to marry her, the doctor considers it his duty to clarify the situation to him. This is a family of alcoholics, and the son of Hoffmann was also killed by alcoholism. His wife drinks until she faints. The head of the family does not get out of the pub. It’s a pity, of course, Elena, sick of her in this atmosphere, but Lot always considered it important to bring to birth a physically and spiritually healthy offspring, and here hereditary defects may appear. Yes, and Hoffmann spoiled the girl’s reputation.
Lot decides to immediately leave the house, move to the doctor. He leaves Elena with a farewell letter. Hoffmann can be calm, tomorrow Lot will be far from these places.
In the house of turmoil, the child was born dead. After reading the letter, Elena comes in despair, she grabs a hunting knife hanging on the wall and deprives herself of life. At the same time, a song is heard, which the drunk father is returning home.
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