Summary of “Dimitry Donskoy”
In the tent of Dimitry, Grand Duke of Moscow, – the military council. The prince calls to fight with the Tatars: now, when the Kurchak Horde has disintegrated and the khans are fighting for power, the united Russian troops will be able to defeat Mamai, who is going to war against them. Demetrius is sure that Mamai doubted the success of his campaign, as soon as he learned that the united forces of the Russians had crossed the Don. Demetrius suggests the princes decide whether to accept the embassy that sent Mamai to them, or not. Prince Tverskoy against negotiations with the Tatars. Reminding those present that his fiancée, Princess of Novgorod Xenia, Prince of Tver, is soon to arrive in the camp, declares that she will lead her to the crown only after the battle and will bring to her father the armor of the enemy. Prince Belozersky proposes to receive ambassadors. He believes that it is necessary to make peace and pay Mamay tribute: so the Christian lives will be saved. In addition,
The ambassador tries to intimidate the Russian princes. He says that they are “nine hordes and seventy princes”, but Mamai is ready to retain his troops, to forgive the Russian princes who dared to oppose him, and agrees to take tribute from them. When Dimitri refuses, the ambassador, referring to all the princes, declares that one of them who will appear to Mamai with Dimitri’s head, will own the throne and Moscow. Outraged by this insolence, the princes are ready to fight the Tatars.
The Prince of Tver proposes to cross the Nepryadva River and first to attack the camp of Mamai. Demetrius appoints him to command the right wing of the troops, Prince Smolensky – left, Dimitry’s brother with a large regiment will ambush the forest, and Dimitry himself will lead the main regiment.
When
Xenia confesses to her confidante Izbrane that she will not become the wife of Prince Tverskoi and will bring a monastic vow. Elected persuades the princess to confess to her father that she loves Prince Dimitri, but Xenia does not dare to go against the will of the parent. Dimitry comes, blinded by rage, threatens to go to war with her father. Appears Prince of Tver. Xenia tells him that her father did not think about the daughter’s happiness, but about saving the fatherland, when he announced to all the princes his decision to join his family with the Tver family: so her father hoped to induce the princes of Russians to fight the Tatars. Princess informs Prince of Tver that he is going to become a nun, and goes into his tent. Dimitry in the presence of Prince Tversky hides his feelings, but when he tells him that after winning Mama, he will force Xenia to get married with him right in the camp, Demetrius stands up for the girl and confesses that she loves her. The Prince of Tver reproaches Dimitry for autocracy, threatens to withdraw his regiments this night and is going to tell the rest of the princes about everything.
Princes are outraged that Demetrius does not respect the rights of Prince Tversky. Prince Smolensky is sure that Dimitri’s autocracy threatens them all: if the greedy horde wants only gold, then the autocratic despot “puts a heavy chain on all the deeds,” enslaving both the thought and the feeling. Prince Smolensky prefers to make peace with the Tatars, than to see an equal to himself a ruler over himself and other princes.
Dimitry comes and says that at night Mamai moved on them. He calls on the princes to jointly fight against the enemy. Prince Belozersky demands from Demetrius that he prove to them his love for the fatherland and reconciled with Prince Tversky: let the marriage pledge with Xenia be the pledge of reconciliation. Demetrius replies that honor commands him to defend a girl who, against her will, must walk under the crown. Demetrius condemns those customs that “make tyrants of fathers and bring their children into the grumbling of slaves.” Belozersky objects, pointing out that only there is morality among the people, where the rights of the fathers are sacred. Demetrius stands on his own. The princes reproach him with pride and refuse to participate in the battle. Demetrius claims that he will fight Mamai alone. When everyone leaves, Dimitri sends Brensky to Xenia, so that he persuades her to come to him and tells him,
The night is coming. Demetrius goes to the tent to the Moscow boyars. He asks them if they still want him to fight Mamai. They support the prince’s decision, swear allegiance to him and are ready to go with him to his death.
Before his tent Demetrius meets Xenia with Izbrana and Brensky. Demetrius tells the Princess that the hope of her love will give him strength in battle. Let all the princes abandon him: “he is safe prince among zealous citizens, where a host of boyars are wise, where a stable of noblemen is loyal.” Xenia is in despair: she is afraid that the army of Dimitri will be broken, and Russia will languish under the Tatar yoke. She calls on princes and blames everyone for herself for the discord between Dimitri and Prince Tversky. She asks Prince Tversky to punish her for breaking her father’s word. Xenia is ready to go to the most remote abode, but let princes reunite and fight with hordes of Mamai. When Prince Tversky still refuses to join Dimitri, Xenia agrees to become his wife. The princes approve of her decision and agree to fight with Mamai.
Demetrius and Prince Tverskoy are ready to go to fight with each other, but Xenia does not allow this. Then the Prince of Tver tells Dimitry that they must show on the battlefield which of them is more worthy of Princess Ksenia. When everyone leaves and Dimitry stays with Brensky, he asks a faithful squire about the last service: let Mikhail take his place under the banner and wear his helmet and the signs of princely dignity. The prince himself will dress like a simple warrior, for he will now look for dangers and death. Demetrius passes Brensky a chain from his chest so that he will give it to Xenia when he is no longer alive.
Xenia and Izbrana are hiding in the valley between the mountains. They witnessed the flight of Russian troops and are sure that Dimitri was killed. They meet a Moscow boyar with several soldiers and talks about the victory over Mamai. At the beginning of the battle, Tatar knights Temir and Chelyubey dispersed the ranks of Russian soldiers. Then the monk Peresvet summoned Temir to a duel, and both fell dead, and an unknown soldier in simple clothes attacked Chelubeya and killed him. After that, the brother of Dimitry struck the Tatars from the rear from the forest near by, and they fled shamefully. Among the dead and wounded Russian soldiers, everyone is looking for Demetrius and the unknown warrior, the winner of Chelubey, but they find only the dead Bryansky in princely armor. Finally they discover an unknown warrior, covered with wounds, and recognize him as Demetrius. The prince hopes for death, for life is not nice to him without his beloved. Prince Tverskaya, shocked by these words, generously gives Xenia to Dimitry. Everyone celebrates the victory of Russian arms and congratulates Prince Dimitry on his victory.
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