Summary of “Aelita” by Tolstoy
In Petrograd, a strange announcement appears on Krasniy Zori Street: an engineer Mstislav Sergeevich Los invited his comrades to fly to Mars on August 18. The announcement is noted by the correspondent of the American newspaper Skylys. He is shocked, wants more information. A posterior broad-shouldered soldier approaches Skrils at the same time. He admires the plans of Los, believes that it is worthwhile to fly with him. Both decide to visit the engineer.
Moose designed an apparatus for interplanetary travel, in shape resembling an egg. The device is made of refractory steel, the outer cover is reinforced with ribs and light trusses. The inner case is made of six layers of rubber, felt and leather. Inside there are oxygen tanks, boxes for absorbing carbon dioxide, hollow cushions for tools and provisions. For observation from the device stick out “eyes” – a short metal tube with prismatic glasses. “The movement mechanism was placed in the throat wound with
According to Los’s calculations, the journey to Mars will take about ten hours. In the “interview” to Skylses, Los tells us where such “non-serious” figures come from: “In an airless space where there is no resistance, where nothing prevents the flight, the rocket will move with ever-increasing speed: obviously, there I can approach the speed of light if not interfere with the magnetic influences… I will have to fly in the atmosphere of the Earth and Mars one hundred and thirty-five kilometers. It will take an hour and a half with the ascent and descent, I put the hour in order to get out of the attraction of the Earth. Further, in an airless space I can fly with any speed. Stu But there are two dangers: excessive acceleration can burst blood vessels, and the second – if I draw a great speed in the atmosphere
Instantly the apparatus and everything in it will turn into gas… In order not to melt, stabbing into the atmosphere of Mars, I will have to slow down the speed… I put six, seven hours on the whole flight in an airless space. In a few years the journey to Mars will be no more difficult than the flight from Moscow to New York. “Skiles offers Lusya a large sum for the trip report on her return.” Los can not find a companion in any way (no one believes in the plausibility of his plans and calculations), and is therefore very happy when a young soldier appears in his workshop and expresses his desire to fly to Mars. The soldier is Alexei Ivanovich Gusev, he has no children, only Masha’s wife, but family life for a restless fighter for the world revolution, which considers Gusev himself, is too fresh. The night before the departure, before his eyes, his previous life passes – his beloved wife Katya, who died some time ago, than did the life of Mstislav Sergeyev – an empty and bitter life. Gusev also gives Masha money received from Skylis (advance payment for “travel notes”), promises to return, but does not even inform where he is going.
On the day of departure, the crowd gathers at the device. Most viewers do not trust space travelers. Gusev asks “to authorize” him to convey to the Martians greetings from the Soviet Republic.
The device takes off, accelerates. The hearts of Moose and Gusev are increasingly beating, they are losing consciousness. By effort of will Moose comes to life, regulates instruments, slows down the speed of flight. The travelers are looking through the portholes. “The sun was hanging in an empty darkness with a clear outline, a huge, shaggy ball, two light nebulae stretched from its sides like wings… Ahead… a silvery blinding disk of Mars.” The elk includes a braking mechanism, the apparatus lands safely. Around grow orange cacti. Los and Gusev walk along the channel of the dried canal, notice that there is a plowed field around. In their absence, the Martian is selected to the apparatus, moving with the help of mechanical wings. The Martians are humanoid creatures, only of small stature. Earthlings, each in his own way, try to establish contact with him: Los is friendly and reserved, Gusev – impulsively and emotionally (screaming and cursing). The Martian flies. Earthlings independently explore the neighborhood, come across a ruined city, someone blown up by the house.
In one of the houses, Los runs into a golden mask – an image of a smiling human face with closed eyes and a third eye between the eyebrows. Then they discover a repository of strange books that, when they “read”, hear music, as well as a mirror that resembles a modern TV (when it is turned on, a picture of the Martian city appears). On the walls of the building there are mosaics depicting drowning in the sea and flying among the stars of giants. Elk finds a portrait of a woman in a headdress, which is a parabola with two balls – ruby (Earth) and brown (Mars). After sunset, Los and Gusev see in the sky a bright red star, similar to a huge angry eye. This is Earth.
In the morning of the next day, the earthlings are surrounded by the flying ships of armed Martians. Soldiers force the heroes to follow them. Los and Gusev on their ship fly through the desert with the city in which they visited the day before. Los signs with the signs of the Martians, why the city suffered such a tragic fate, but does not receive an answer. He is interested in the names of the subjects, while studying the Martian language. Earthlings fly to the main city of Mars – Soatseru. At the entrance to Soatoru stands a giant statue of a smiling man with closed eyes, the image of which people saw in the city that was lost. This is a statue of the Magatitl. The Martians take guests to the house of the supreme ruler of Mars Tuskub. They are well fed, there are a lot of flowers around. Martian and
The history of Mars is dealt with by Aelita, the daughter of Tuskub. The girl Iha is serving in the house, with whom Gusev soon establishes a fairly confidential relationship. During the examination of the house, Gusev discovers a mirror, similar to a TV set. Iha shows him in the mirror a city, entertainment and – by mistake – a meeting of the Supreme Council of Engineers, which is headed by Tuskub. At the meeting, Tuskub demands to “get rid” of the newcomers. Gusev informs Los of the “unfortunate”, but he is so carried away by communication with Aelita that he does not attach much importance to the words of the comrade.
Aelita asks Los if he was happy on Earth, and what is earthly happiness. She tells us that from her childhood she had strange dreams – “high green mountains, bright, not our rivers, clouds, clouds, huge, white, and rains – streams of water.” And the people-giants… My teacher said that this – ashhe, the second sight… terrible power, great wisdom. ” Los says that the earthly happiness of the one who has fullness, consent and a desire to live for those who give this consent, fullness, joy… Such happiness comes in love to a woman. “
Aelita tells people that the Martians are the descendants of the earthly inhabitants of Atlantis. Mars was inhabited by the Aol tribes, an orange race. Among one of the tribes there was a shepherd who predicted that the Sons of Heaven would come to Mars, who would enslave the original Martians and bring harm to the planet. He played in an ullah – a wooden pipe with strings – and urged his listeners to be afraid of evil in themselves, afraid of losing purity. The hour of fulfillment of his words comes. Mars is visited by Atlanteans, who here are called Magatsitli. There, on Earth, they owned the City of the Golden Gate. The makatsitly quickly subjugate the ignorant population of Mars, but they do not have women, so that their kind can continue. They persuade AOL’s elders to give them girls. The sons of Heaven do not want to fight anymore, and they can give Mars the knowledge that will make the planet prosperous. The fields yield unprecedented harvests.
Sauacer walls and giant circuses are being built to collect melting glacial water from the poles – there is very little drinking water on Mars. “Magatsitli used giant lifting machines… with the power of knowledge, the Magatsitli could move large stones and cause the growth of plants.” They wrote their knowledge into books-colored spots and starry marks. ” These books were read only after thousands of years, since with the death of the last of the aliens from the Earth, knowledge was lost. Atlantis, according to Aelita, died not just as a result of the earthquake. There was created a beautiful civilization of wise and noble people who worshiped the Head of the Sleeping Negro. Atlanta preferred war to trade and the flowering of art. They believed that “in the crystal the mind is in perfect rest.” In interstellar space, the mind is in perfect motion.
From the east came a strong tribe of Uchkurov, it burned down cities and enslaved the population. Atlanteans “could only protect the jaded wealth, the nomads had primitive greed… The country was devastated, there was a famine and a sea.” Finally, the nomads are accepted for peaceful labor, mixed with the Atlanteans. The cities, arts, sciences, crafts are revived. Knowledge develops faster. “Science of Knowledge was divided into two parts: preparatory – the development of the body, will and mind, and the main – the knowledge of nature, the world and formulas through which the matter of aspiring knowledge takes possession of nature.” There comes a golden age of civilization, such a heyday was not known to any earthly culture. But “knowing the world, man only knew himself,” and this was the mistake of the Atlanteans who believed that the world was only their imagination. In the cities of Atlantis, degeneration and satiety became noticeable. The richest of the citizens offered to destroy the “bad dream of the mind – humanity”. They organize grandiose orgies, holidays and spectacles, during which a strong earthquake begins. Magatsitli rush to their flying machines, driven by a giant energy, obtained with the release of force, dormant in the seeds of plants. The city of the Golden Gate is hidden under water, and the Atlantes are landed on Mars. dormant in the seeds of plants. The city of the Golden Gate is hidden under water, and the Atlantes are landed on Mars. dormant in the seeds of plants. The city of the Golden Gate is hidden under water, and the Atlantes are landed on Mars.
Gusev wants to flee from Tuskub’s house to the city, to raise an uprising among ordinary Martians. He sees that with Martian civilization there is the same thing as with Atlantis, that in the city there is a double life, that everywhere there are
“alarmed heaps of whisperers”, and in factories – buzzing crowds of workers. The city is troubled. At the meeting of the Supreme Council against Tuskub, the engineer Gor. He exposes Tuskub, who claims that anarchy is raging in the city, which must be defeated – to destroy the city. According to Tuskub, the civilization of Mars is dying, and this death can not be prevented, but it is necessary only “to impose with glory and happiness the splendor and happiness of these last days of the world.” Gore also explains that the city is really ripe with discontent with Tuskub’s rule, because he offers the city to destroy in order to preserve its power. Gore suggests enlisting the support of aliens from the Earth, but Tuskub silences him with hypnosis, and offers earthlings to destroy, too.
A revolution is taking place in the city. Aelita, whom his father instructed to poison the Sons of Heaven, takes Los into a safe place, and Gusev becomes the head of the uprising. Aelita is singing Losku song ulli. According to the belief, she must after that become his wife. She wants to know what love is.
Los flew to the aid of Gusev. The Martians went after him to death, took an arsenal, well armed. Gusev shows miracles of heroism, addresses his followers with incendiary speeches, blows up all around him with grenades. Engineer Gore in everything helps him, although he acts very hesitantly – his fear of Tuskub is too strong. Tuskub outwitted them. His army is better organized, but its insurgents are crowded. Tuskub with the soldiers hiding in the giant underground labyrinth of Queen Magr, it is soon accepted to blow up the working quarters of the city. Gore escorts Los and Gusev to the labyrinth, covers their retreat, dies himself. The uprising was defeated. Earthlings must return to earth. Under the ground they come across a huge cluster of spiders – “they wait, their hour will come, they will master life, populate Mars.” From the maze Los and Gusev are selected near the estate of Tuskub, where Aelita and Iha are hiding. When Los and Aelita fall asleep – they took in half the poison, given by Aelita the father, that she poisoned Los, – the ship sent by Tuskub lands at the gate. Aelitu grab and take away. She manages to whisper to her husband that she is happy, and thanks him for everything. Moose without breath. Gusev drags him through the desert in the direction of their flying machine, pours Los into his mouth alcohol, he comes to himself. The device rushes to the Earth. Gusev drags him through the desert in the direction of their flying machine, pours Los into his mouth alcohol, he comes to himself. The device rushes to the Earth. Gusev drags him through the desert in the direction of their flying machine, pours Los into his mouth alcohol, he comes to himself. The device rushes to the Earth.
At home, Los does not immediately recall what happened to them on Mars. Meet them with glee. Skiles generously pays “travel notes”, Gusev dresses Masha with a needle. Moose can not forget Aelita, she misses her. Once he is invited to the radio station to listen to incomprehensible signals coming from the depths of space. “Like a silent lightning, a distant voice pierced his heart, repeating sadly in an unearthly language:
“Where are you, where are you, where are you, Son of Heaven?”
The voice stopped. Los watched his white, dilated eyes before him… The voice of Aelita, of love, of eternity, the voice of melancholy flies throughout the universe, calling, calling, crying – where are you, where are you, love… “
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)