Summary of “Lord Glovleva” Saltykov-Shchedrin
M. Ye. Saltykov-Shchedrin wrote his novel “The Lord of the Golovlevs” in 1875-1880. Originally, the novel was published in separate stories in the satirical chronicle “Well-intentioned speeches.” But later the author decided that these stories should be combined into one great work. To the existing five chapters, he added two more, finalized the previously published chapters, and in 1880 appeared the novel “The Lord of Holovlev.”
So, who are they, Golovlevs?
The prosperous family of Golovlevs possesses the most extensive possessions and constantly increases them. All this – thanks to the imperious, stubborn, not accustomed to objections mistress of the estate Arina Petrovna Golovleva. Her husband, Vladimir Mikhailovich, was a desperate fellow in his youth, and so he stayed. Therefore, Arina Petrovna took all the reins of government. Children Golovlevs – three sons and a daughter.
Stepan’s eldest son in the family
Daughter Anushka Arina Petrovna thought to attach, so that she would do homework and accounting for nothing. And she sent her to study. But Anushka got married and fled with a young cornet. From her mother she got a stunted little village and a little money, but when this money ran out, the cornet disappeared. Annushka was left alone with Anninka and Lyubinka’s twins. Soon Annushka died, and her grandmother hosted orphans.
His middle son, Porfiry, for his affection, his earpiece, his obsequiousness, called Stepash-bonbes Judas and the Bloodbinder.
At the family court, Porfiry took over the reins of government. He convinced everyone that he needed to leave Stepka in Golovlyov, but to deprive him of the rights to inheritance. Having received a paper from Styopka with the abandonment of the inheritance, Porphyry condemned him to a slow, dreary death in a dark dirty little room. All that Stapka gave was a meager meal, cheap tobacco, and vodka. And once on a gloomy December morning they found Stepan dead.
Ten years passed. During this period, serfdom was abolished, which terrified Arina Petrovna. She did not understand how to behave with former slaves, how to feed them, who would serve her. Once her husband quietly and imperceptibly died. The confused landowner did not know what to do now. This cleverly took advantage of Judas, persuading his mother to divide the estate. She left only money to herself, best part gave to Porphyry, Paul gave the worst. But the ungrateful Porfishka insulted her mother and she, after all, went to live with Paul.
And Paul was drinking drastically in solitude, immersed in his fantasies and hatred for Judas. And he died, without even bothering to bequeath anything to his mother and orphans. After the death of Paul his estate went to Porfiry, and Arina Petrovna with the girls was forced to leave for the village, which was once presented to Annushka. The girls quickly became bored with the sad life of a beggar’s farm and they left. Unable to withstand the loneliness of dreary helplessness, Arina Petrovna returned to Golovlyovo. Time passed…
In the once prosperous estate, only the widowed Judas, Arina Petrovna, and Evprakseya, the daughter of the local sexton, remained. Finished his life with Vladimir – the first son of Iudushkin, Peter – the second son – served in officers. Porphyry himself forgot about them. And nothing can change his idle and meaningless way of life. Neither the death of his mother, nor the arrival of the lost Peter, his death – nothing could not change an iota of the existence of Porphyry. Anninka arrived shortly after, and was afraid to stay with her uncle.
Again, Judas was lonely and lonely with Enlightenment with Evprakseyushka. When Yevprakseya gave birth, Porphyry sent the baby to the orphanage. Mother and son were separated forever. Hatred of him seized Yevprakseyushka. And between her and Judas began a real war. War of insults, filth of every possible, stupid nit-picking… And in the dreams of the pissed-off for the whole world of Judas there was only one thing – to take revenge on the dead and alive. And he sucked blood from everyone and everywhere, whom and where he could get it.
Anninka’s niece returned to Golovlyovo. After drinking in the evenings, she fervently and with hatred accused Judas of all the sins of mortals. And, about a miracle, in a very old Judas suddenly began to wake up conscience. He suddenly saw all the senselessness and worthlessness of his being, his lies, greed, hatred…
Instead of an afterword
Before Easter, at the end of the Great Seventh, on a night blizzard, Porphyry decided to go to the grave of his mother to ask for forgiveness… Only a day later it became known that they had found him, stiffened. The last master of the estate died. Anninka was already unconscious and the news carried the messenger to his second cousin…
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