Comedies by Sumarokov. "Guardian", "Cuckold by Imagination"

A. P. Sumarokov

A. P. Sumarokov. Dramatic works. L., "Art", 1990

CHARACTERS

Stranger, nobleman. Sostrata, noble daughter. Valery, lover of Sostratin. Nisa, noblewoman and servant of Chuzhekhvatov. Pasquin, servant of the Strangers. Palemon, friend of Valeriev's late father. Secretary. Soldiers.

Action in St. Petersburg.

PHENOMENON I

Pasquin (one).

No, for the sake of all the treasures of the world, I will no longer stay in this filthy house. It is truly true that as the priest is, so is the parish. And could it be that the master was a slacker, and his servants were good people? They robbed me of everything, and finally they stole my cross. Of course, someone picked it up as promised. Sorry, Sostrata! I'm sorry, my beloved Nisa! I have come to leave you, although I don’t want to. The thieves here are so cunning that they can even steal a person’s soul. I need to get out of here while I’m alive, and then it will be too late, because a body that has no soul has legs that no longer walk.

SCENE II

Sostrata, Nysa and Pasquin.

Sostrata. Why are you talking here alone? Pasquin. And what I’m saying is that I don’t intend to serve in this house anymore. Nisa. And for what? Pasquin. And because the local people, having robbed me of everything, stole the cross from me this night. Sostrata. What was he like and how great was he? Pasquin. Small and golden. Sostrata. So I'll give you a gold one and a big one. Pasquin. My name and the year and day of my birth were carved on it. Sostrata. And I will order this to be cut out, and Pasquino’s name. Pasquin. This is not my actual name. Sostrata. How? Pasquin. My direct name is Valerian, because that’s what’s carved on my cross. Sostrata. Do you hear, Nisa? So this looks very much like the truth, but I didn’t consider it. Pasquin. I have never lied, and that the cross was stolen from me is true, just as it is true that I am Valerian, not Pasquin. Where were you supposed to see this? You haven’t seen my cross. Sostrata. How did they change your name? Pasquin. It is difficult to change a person's character, but it is easy to change a name. I knew people who were called clerks; after that they were given the names of registrars, then they began to be called secretaries, and then judges. They were given new names, but their morals remained the same. And the fact that I am Valerian and Pasquin may be because I am a twin. Yes, even though I don’t have two names from my father and I was given another name after, I am still the same, and I have the same disposition, and, having my mother in my belly, I have an interlocutor, and to this day I cannot be without conversation, according to the proverb : like in the cradle, like in the grave; Or better yet, I’ll say this about myself: as I came out of the belly, so I will go into the grave, only without a comrade. Temper very rarely changes. The servants of this house were thieves, they are thieves now, and there will be thieves in the future. Sostrata. Do you hear, Nisa? He is both Valerian and his double. Pasquin. Yes, and his cross was stolen. Sostrata. I already told you that I will give you another one instead of the stolen cross. Pasquin. All my well-being depended on that cross, but it will not depend on this. Nisa. Like this? Pasquin. The palmist told me that because of that cross I could be happy. Sostrata (Nise). This smells like truth. (Pasquin.). Only it wasn’t a palmist. Pasquin. Of course he's a palmist. Why would someone else know this? And if you don’t believe this, then I will show it to you and I will testify to it myself; and I sometimes see him in the house here. He visits your father and he entrusted me to his service, having persuaded me to go to the owner in whose house I grew up. Sostrata (Nise). I think this whole thing will be resolved today. Pasquin. It's hard to untie. The thieves of this house are very cunning, and they are as cunning in this as their master. With others they will find everything that belongs to others, but with them you will not find anything of your own. This is what they learned from the snitches. But I don’t want to live in this house anymore. Sostrata. I ask you to stay here a little longer. Nisa. And I ask you. Pasquin. Yes, if I had known that you would follow Valery, and you would follow me, I would have agreed to this. Sostrata. Just wait. Nisa. Just wait. Pasquin. No matter how you go, you will never be with me, and you will never be with Valery. Sostrata. Just wait. Nisa. Just wait. Pasquin (Make a joke). Let me kiss your hand in reassurance.

Sostrata gives him her hand.

SCENE III

Sostrata and Nysa.

Sostrata. Now, Nisa, isn’t my hope coming true? Nisa. Yes, perhaps, explain all this to me in detail. Sostrata. Listen. This slacker, with whom we now have the misfortune of living in the house, as when he was younger, seemed to be a kind man and with his cunning he transformed all his deceptions into virtue and crept into the hearts of many. The pretense of imperfectly penetrating people and those who reason about everything according to their hearts has more success than naked virtue; because virtue is rarely strengthened by cunning, although naked virtue is therefore often harmful and, consequently, then it is somewhat, and sometimes even much more vicious. After my death, my father entrusted me to this villain, and despite all my wealth, I now endure need. Although your father was a meager man, he was still a nobleman; and after his death you were entrusted to this rogue, now as a servant in the house. In the same way as we entrusted him with Valery and his brother. Valery was fortunately given to be raised by a friend of his father, a wise and wealthy man, after whom he received an inheritance, and the rumor about Valerian is that it was stolen. Remembering how we were with him on the day of Valery’s birth, he told us that he was a twin, and what was carved on his cross when he was born, as proof of how old he was, and that such a faithful note to old women who are getting younger and they flirt, shamelessly taking ten years off of themselves, covering their wrinkles with whitewash and rouge, of course it wouldn’t be acceptable, and that the same cross was put on his brother, who was born with him. And now I accidentally saw such a cross on Pasquin and deliberately cut it off from him at night, partly thinking if he was already his brother, because one can hope from the Stranger of all idleness; and now this matter no longer looks like a mockery. And although I didn’t look at what was carved on his cross, the honor of this matter is not important, but I only have a little doubt. However, Pasquin has already said what is carved on his cross; and if this cross does not belong to him, then of course he received it from the one who received it from Valerian when he was little; and this creates great doubt about Valerianova’s death. We need to look into this matter. I’ll talk to Valery about this, and in the meantime I’ll see if the carving on the cross is the same as Valery’s, or the same year and date, and whether Pasquin said this about Valerian from hearsay. Nisa. What kind of profit would there be in this for our Aliengrabber if brother Valeriev were not there? Sostrata. That profit is for him so that, having lost him, he can take possession of his inheritance. And in the will it is written that if one of their brothers dies, he will be their heir for their upbringing and labors. Nisa. Why did he choose Valerian alone for this? Sostrata. He apparently left Valery because it would have been very suspicious to lose both of their lullabies, and of the two, the lot apparently fell on the smaller one. Nisa. We ended up with a pretty good executor!

PHENOMENA IV

The same goes for the Stranger.

Alien grabber. Vile, worthless, shabby, stingy! How long will it take me to teach you? I think that I will not have peace from you until my grave! Sostrata. What happened? Alien grabber. Pasquin's cross was stolen, and he complains and wants to leave the house. Sostrata. Theft, sir, is a common trade here, and it seems that you can already get used to this idleness of the local people and be less angry. Alien grabber. The point is not that they steal; let them steal without touching the master’s property and not from their own, so that little by little there would be more in the house; But to steal from your own is to move it from pocket to pocket and make noise, but it worries me. Let them steal, whoever is without sin and whoever is not a woman’s grandson. And at least out of weakness, you can quietly take it from your comrades, but you need to bury the ends so that they don’t think that you took your own. That’s what I teach them, but even if you teach a fool forever, you can’t teach him that way. Am I talking about this so that they don’t steal? They are not in hard labor; Why take away their will? Theft is not a great fault, because it is a passion common to human weakness. The first thing in the world is empty: your wallet is empty, your head is empty. Giving for Christ's sake is more saving than asking for Christ's sake. Honor yes honor! What honor is there if there is nothing to eat? Is there any honor when the belly is empty? The purse is empty, the belly is empty. Sostrata. Quite a moral lesson! Alien grabber. Of course it's a fair amount. So, according to you, is it better to act morally? Thinking about it, I saw how the honest in your opinion and the dishonest, but in my opinion, the reasonable and the insane were accepted. The dishonest one, in your opinion, has arrived, so he has a chair, and in a nice house at that: “Is everyone in good health? What is your hostess like? Children? Why are you so passionate: you don’t like us, you don’t invite us to your place?” And everyone knows that he got it from someone else’s and unrighteous people. And the children of an honest man came to beg for alms, whose father traveled to the kingdom of China and was in the Kamchatka state and wrote a story about this state. However, they read his fairy tale, and his children walk around the world; and his daughters have dyed bostrokes, and even those are patched. It’s a gift that their father was in the Kamchatka state, and for the reason that they drag around in dyed clothes, they are called Krashenin’s. Sostrata. And if this had reached the court, then perhaps the children of such people would stop wandering around the world. Alien grabber. And when someone has something of his own, he has no need whether the court knows about him or not. A pot of cabbage soup and a big one; and the pot cooks equally, whether bought or stolen. (Turn to Nisa.) That's right, Nisanka! What are you thinking? Nisa. I'm thinking about you, sir. Alien grabber. What's happened? Nisa. I, sir, do not dare to say this. Alien grabber. Speak, there is nothing; hard words break no bones. Nisa. I think that you are a robber and that you should be hanged. Alien grabber. That's where the road is. And what is lived sweetly is mine, according to the proverb: what is taken is holy. But this proverb is legal and was observed inviolably in the orders, unless now, according to the new law, it will be abandoned. Nisa. Where does the soul go, to hell? Alien grabber. Why torture yourself in advance; and then you can be saved when they begin to throw a noose. Yes, am I completely guilty of cheating? Because nothing is done without the will of God, and no hair falls from the head of a man without the will of God; So I’m going astray according to the will of God, according to the proverb: if it weren’t for God, then someone would help me. Sostrata. God does not help rogues and has given man the will to choose good and bad, promising reward for one and threatening punishment for the other. And whoever, against his holy conscience, does not obey the truth, then vainly trusts in God’s mercy. Alien grabber. Holy truth! What kind of saint is this? She’s not even in the calendar, so we don’t pray to her. And repentance cleanses all sins. I will repent two hours before death, and at the same gate I will enter the kingdom of heaven into which you also entered; and what is lived sweeter and more lively, as desired, is in profit. Sostrata. What happened to you that you became so shameless in your old age? I already know that you were not like that; and before this, everyone considered you a good person, as I heard. Why did you pretend before and try to seem like a kind person? Alien grabber. Have you heard the story about a certain Roman priest? Sostrata. No, sir. Alien grabber. Have you heard, Nisanka? Nisa. I, sir, don’t listen to such stories. Alien grabber. You will be in heaven. Nisa. Why not be? Does my salvation depend on this? Alien grabber. Why not? God cannot forgive a sinner without a priest, but you, too, are not without sin. You’re a young girl, so even if not in deed, in thought you will sin: there is only one God without sin, and we are all sinners. Nisa. All are sinners, sir, but not all are idle. Alien grabber. All are slackers, and I am the first of them. Nisa. Of course, so that you can pronounce this word more sincerely. Alien grabber. Yes, Nisanka. And read stories about priests; they forgive sins. Sostrata. They forgive in God's name, and not in their own; and they are only witnesses. Alien grabber. So, Nisanka, aren’t we all slackers? And God himself does not believe us without witnesses. Nisa. I, sir, did not study theology. Alien grabber. However, don’t despise priests. Nisa. I don't despise them anyway. Sostrata. How do you conclude this? A good person should have respect for spiritual people, because they teach us virtue and set examples. And only those who are unworthy of this name are despicable. Alien grabber. What are you saying? Are the spiritual ones despicable? Sostrata. Yes, sir, and not only spiritual ones, and those despicable sovereigns who are unworthy of this title. Some show us the path to temporary well-being, while others lead us to eternal well-being. Some execute people for the slightest weaknesses, while others curse them and, in various ways, taking away freedom, burden human nature. And this interpretation of mine cannot be repugnant to either just rulers or well-behaved spiritual ones. Alien grabber. Now, if I hadn’t ordered you to teach, you wouldn’t have such impudence and wouldn’t talk such nonsense. That’s not the point: have you heard about the Roman priest? Sostrata. I already told you that I haven’t heard. Alien grabber. In the Roman kingdom, there was a priest at the cathedral church, a healthy man, but he always walked with a crouched position so that he would appear more humble and so that for such humility they would quickly make him the keymaster, because this place is profitable there, and young people are not elected there, I don’t know why. And as soon as he was chosen, he immediately straightened up and became as cheerful as you, telling the church clerks who asked him what reason his health suddenly gave him: I walked bending over because I was then looking for the key to the church; and now why should I writhe and look at the ground; I have already found this key. Sostrata. This is the story of Sixtus the Fifth. Alien grabber. There is no need for that, about the fifth or the tenth. Sostrata. What are you tying this story to? Alien grabber. Because I was a hypocrite before, so that they would believe me and not interfere with my getting rich. And now I’m already satisfied, so what do I need an honest name for?

PHENOMENA V

Same with Pasquin.

Pasquin. Valery has come, madam, to you. Alien grabber. In vain he fusses; she won’t see him as her husband, like her ears. Sostrata. At least I can see them in the mirror. (Leaves.) Alien grabber. And you, Nisanka, where are you going? Nisa. Where people go, I go too. Alien grabber. No, stay; I’ll talk to you about some need.

SCENE VI

Aliengrabber and Nysa.

Nisa. What kind of need is this, sir? Alien grabber. Do you know, Nisanka, with what care I raised you? Nisa. Yes, sir, I grew up in your house. Why this preface? Alien grabber. And that’s why I want to get married; and I will make this happiness for you and make you a sharer of my estate and my heart. Nisa. With such a marriage, the chickens will laugh; I am seventeen years old, and you are seventy. Alien grabber. Yes, I’m so cheerful that it’s impossible to be better, and I’ll put the young fellow in his belt. Nisa. You, sir, are as white as a harrier: please look in the mirror. Alien grabber. That's good: no whitehead powder. And if you need a black-headed or fair-haired husband, you can buy a wig. Nisa. And there are a lot of Frenchmen who are cleaning their heads outside. Alien grabber. Much for our sins. But they don’t take people out who would clean our heads inside. Nisa. Nowadays, sir, in everything they try only to focus on the surface, and think little about the importance; So that’s why we have so many empty-headed people. Alien grabber. And not only is my head, but also my purse is not empty, even though it is not elegant on the outside and is only made of high-quality canvas. From the outside it is not decorated in the French way, but it is good in it, according to the proverb that a hut is not red in its corners, but red in its pies. But this pie is filled not with porridge, but with gold and silver, and copper money is not in my mind. Let the madmen clearly see that copper money is not the same as gold and silver, and paying three percent when exchanging, they believe that copper money is the same as gold and silver, and that at the stated price all money is equal, no matter what. metal they are and whatever size they are. Nisa. However, sir, I will not marry you, even if you were richer than the Turkish Sultan. Alien grabber. Although you are cold towards me now, when you think more about my gold coins, you will of course become heated.

SCENE VII

Nisa (alone).

Those people are worthy of respect whose hearts are warmed to love by money, and those feelings that are based on the love of money are noble.

SCENE VIII

Sostrata (alone).

Valery is coming to me, leave me, Nisa. (Nisa leaves.) O love, love! There is nothing more pleasant in the world than you when you agree with the desires of our hearts, and nothing is more painful when you resist their desires.

SCENE IX

Sostrata and Valery.

Sostrata. I haven’t seen you, Valery, for three whole days. Valery. Those three days seemed like weeks to me. Sostrata. I am sure that you love me as much as I love you, and I measure your love for yourself with my own heart. Valery. Happy is the lover whose love is equal to the love of his mistress. Sostrata. And the mistress for whom love quickly grows cold and forever fades away is unhappy. And even more unfortunate is the one who, for her sincere love, is deceived by her lover’s feigned love; after imaginary respect for the real, her deceiver is plunged into contempt and complains in vain about the misfortune and righteous punishment deserved by her imprudence. Valery. You see my true respect for you and do not doubt my loyalty. So what's the point of such speeches? Sostrata. They are so that, reminding me of such stingy deceivers who spoil the most pleasant and noble passion and turn joy into barbarism, I feel even more the joy that I have from you and in which I hope to soon ascend to the highest degree of my well-being, these most pleasant imagining moments every minute. Valery. O loving moments! precious minutes! Even the strictest philosophers cannot call you the vanity of the world. I love you, Sostrata, I love you with all my heart, with all my thoughts, with all my feeling: you are the most beautiful thing in nature to my eyes, you are the dearest thing in the world to my soul, my mind is filled with you, my eyes are tied to your eyes, blood my feelings are inflamed by you, my feelings are delighted, my thoughts are captivated by you; you are in my mind day and night, you never leave my memory: I fall asleep, thinking about you; I wake up, you are the first to meet my thoughts; You are also present in my sleepy dreams. The pleasant and every minute reminder of you fills every place with you and does not even decorate the paths I walk on; It seems to me that they are playing under my feet and sympathizing with the joy that my heart feels. When I imagine the joys you impatiently await, then in my delight I anticipate a consolation that seems beyond human participation. Sostrata. I, Valery, feel all this mutually, and only because of this sometimes does the spirit tremble in me, so that this well-being of mine remains firmly and unshakably and so that it quickly comes to the crown of our flame, and when it comes, it never changes.

PHENOMEN X

Stranger, Valery and Sostrata.

Alien grabber. Since my generation, I have never imagined this, that a woman could resist the love of such a man who has a lot of money, and this seems completely unnatural to me. Money is the most important thing in the world, and this is because a person can have it, and he was created in the image and likeness of God. Nature has two souls: the sun and money. God created the sun, and man created money, and that is why he is likened to the creator of the sunflower, so that in all the sunflower there is nothing more useful than the sun and money. Sostrata. What is this, sir? Alien grabber. We must quickly send for a doctor; Nisanka needs to be bled. Sostrata. Yes, she’s completely healthy: I’ve seen her now. Alien grabber. It’s a gift that you have now seen her, but she is in a severe fever and delirious, and her mind is completely damaged. Sostrata. How do you conclude this? Alien grabber. Because I want to marry her, but she won’t marry me. Valery (especially). It is he who needs to bleed, not her. Sostrata. It’s surprising, sir, that she won’t marry you. Alien grabber. Strange and incomprehensible. Valery. It’s strange and incomprehensible to me that she won’t marry you. However, it’s strange and incomprehensible to me why you don’t want to marry Sostrata to me. Sostrata. And you prefer to him many madmen whom you choose as my grooms. Alien grabber. If you force me to say this, then I will give you direct money. Those whom I choose are people either completely old mannered, or completely new mannered, and you, my friend, are neither this nor that, nor meat nor fish, and you do not follow any fashion, neither ancestral nor current. Valery. I follow, sir, only sincerity, common sense, simplicity of nature and decency of taste; and this fashion never changes, although not by everyone, but only by those who are worthy of the name of man. Alien grabber. However, the caftan on you was not made according to the simplicity of nature, your hair was not made according to the simplicity of nature, and nature did not even think about cuffs. Valery. I, sir, am not quick in this either, but in such trifles there is no reason to lag behind people; inventing fashions is a trifle, falling behind fashion is just as trivial. Why invent a dress when such an invention does not bring the slightest glory? And to lag behind fashion is only so that fools have a reason to laugh and annoy. Sostrata. It’s not fashion, sir, in your mind, but for this you want to pass me off as some fool, so that you can deceive my husband and keep my estate, which belongs to me after my father. Alien grabber. Yes, you, my lord, don’t outweigh me, and it’s not true that I’m so old that I can neither get married nor endure a whip. Valery. Let's go, madam, to your rooms. Let him talk about this to someone else, and not to me; but I can’t hear it. Alien grabber. Ah, ah! Well done! It had not yet come to this, and he was already frightened; and although I am an old man, I can still endure fifty blows.

SCENE XI

Stranger (one).

I’m not afraid of the whip, but I’m afraid of eternal torment, and apparently I can’t escape it. O great God! It would be good to live in the world if you weren’t in it; We would not give an account of anything to anyone regarding secret matters, But now there is no way to hide from you. Why is the law so strict: don’t take someone else’s. Even having taken possession of someone else’s, I will not take someone else’s from your world, so does it matter whether it is in one owner or another in the chests: the Lord’s land and all its fulfillment. (Kneels down.) Great God! Do not go into court with your servant! I repent before you with all my heart and with the sincerity of my soul. Forgive me my sin, but do not demand from me that I give back what I unlawfully appropriated for myself, for this is above humanity. We know, Lord, that I am a rogue and a soulless person, and I have not the slightest love for you or for my neighbor. However, trusting in your love for mankind, I cry to you: remember me, Lord, in your kingdom. Save me, God, whether I want it or not! Even if you save us from works, there is no grace and a gift, but a greater duty. Even if you save a righteous man, it’s nothing great, and even if you have mercy on a pure person, it’s nothing marvelous: for they are worthy of your mercy, but surprise your mercy on me, a rogue!

SCENE XII

Stranger and Pasquin.

Pasquin. Of course, sir, the end of the world will soon take place. Alien grabber. Why? Pasquin. But because you repent. Alien grabber. How not to repent, Paskvinushka, eternal torment is no joke. Pasquin. And when she is not a joke, there is no need to joke with her. Alien grabber. If God were merciful, there would be no need for any torment. Pasquin. Listen, sir: if there were such a merciful shepherd whose dogs would gnaw at his sheep every day, and he would only stroke his dogs, would his sheep say that this shepherd is a merciful man? Alien grabber. You bend everything to punishment. Pasquin. Bad deeds themselves bend to punishment. What would you do if I stole a hundred rubles? Alien grabber. Who? Pasquin. No matter who has it, it's all the same. Alien grabber. If you had stolen from me, I would have given you to the gallows; and if it weren’t for me, I wouldn’t have said a word to you; What do I care about other people? But I’m not robbing God, so why should he interfere in other people’s affairs? Is there even a little justice here? Pasquin. It is clear, sir, that you have repented considerably. Alien grabber. And he also imposed penance on himself. Pasquin. Which one? Alien grabber. To Monday. Pasquin. Your Majesty! Let me become a rhymer for this moment. Alien grabber. Yes, you didn’t study this. Pasquin. There is such a fashion in Rus' that those who work around this science are those who know little about literacy. Alien grabber. Well, what's your rhyme? Pasquin. Rather than being lazy on Monday, it’s better not to be idle. Alien grabber. Are you scolding me? Pasquin. Dear sir, poets say not what they want, but what the rhyme tells them to say. Alien grabber. This is a stupid science when it forces you to say what the rhyme says, and not what you should. And beyond this penance of mine, I want to visit Kyiv. About Kyiv, Kyiv, the Holy City of Kyiv! Have mercy on me, your unworthy servant. I’ll go there on foot from St. Petersburg itself, Pasquin. Pasquin. God doesn’t care whether someone came to prayer or arrived. Alien grabber. However, walking is more difficult. Pasquin. And if you crawl there, it will be even more difficult. Alien grabber. But from now on you can’t crawl to Kyiv even in three years. Pasquin. Why do you need to go there? Alien grabber. I am a most sinful man, and iniquity exceeds my head; So, no longer trusting in God’s mercy, although I repent, I will ask the saints of God to put in a word for me. Pasquin. Believe me, dear sir, that not a single saint of God will stand up for you, because they, following God’s example, do not like unkind people. Alien grabber. I will appease them: I will burn three pounds of wax. Pasquin. Unless your heart is cleansed, you will not appease God with anything, although you will burn three hundred beehives of wax with honey and bees. Alien grabber. You are raving like a bastard, but I am preaching like a son of the church. Pasquin. Why do you, sir, go to Kyiv in your old age? Stay here and pray: the same God is here, who is in Kyiv. Alien grabber. There the place is consecrated, and not like here; Yes, the local city also has a German name. Tell me, Pasquin, why is this city called in German? Pasquin. I really don’t know this. Alien grabber. So, Pasquin, going to Kyiv is difficult, though. It's a pity for the legs, but even more so for the soul. Pasquin. The soul is to blame, but the feet will be punished.

SCENE XIII

Pasquin (one).

Unhappy are the feet of the man whose soul is bad. This is how the priest whose wife is good is unhappy: he will cheat on his priest, and away with his priest’s skufia; and from this it is clear that the skufia is much more respectable than the order: cuckolds do not wear skufia, but they do wear orders.

SCENE XIV

Pasquin and Nisa.

Nisa. I don’t know how Valery’s deal with the Stranger will end. Now they are both at Sostrata’s and sent me away, they want to talk in private. However, as can be seen from the beginning of their speeches, they will not agree because it does not even occur to the Stranger Sostrata to give up her property, and she does not intend to give up what belongs to her to him. Pasquin. But he won’t want to marry you to me and won’t want to keep your property when he himself has fallen in love with you. I am pleased, Nisanka, that you despise his wealth, but I am not pleased that you despise me. Nisa. I am a noble daughter; So I can’t marry you until you become a nobleman. Pasquin. Yes, I will never be a nobleman. Nobility is given for special services to the fatherland. Nisa. What is the service for the fatherland? Become a clerk and reach the rank of registrar, and you will become a nobleman. Pasquin. Are they nobles? Nisa. Why not the nobles; they are given swords and officer ranks. Pasquin. This is why noble valets also have registrar ranks; and they carry swords? Nisa. Certainly. And therefore, I think that they also have officer and noble dignity. Pasquin. But who favors them as officers and nobles? Nisa. Those who give them swords. Whoever can give a sword can become an officer or a nobleman. Pasquin. Is there any decree for this? Nisa. Of course have. How could anyone dare to give swords or allow them to be worn without a decree? Pasquin. So I’d rather become a valet than a clerk: it’s better to suddenly receive a rank than to continue to serve. But I would rather learn how to curl my hair than write, because the science of hair curling is perfect in our country and you can find quite a lot of teachers. But it is difficult to learn to write well, because such teachers are much rare; but I haven't heard of one. And without learning to write well, you won’t get the rank of registrar without benefactors. Nisa. If only such people were ordained as registrars who could write well, there would not be a single registrar in Rus'. Not a single registrar can write: I heard about this from Valery, and he is considered a very knowledgeable person. And although they will hire you as a valet, you will not receive a sword, for the sake of the fact that you are under our law, and according to our law, carrying a sword for a master’s servant is a grave and mortal sin. So only valets of other faiths in Russia carry swords. Pasquin. So it’s clear that I can’t sew on swords and you can’t come after me when Russian hair curlers are not allowed to wear swords. But I won’t become a clerk, even if I could get a sword. It is better to have a noble heart than noble iron, just as it is better to have an excellent mind than an excellent rank, although people are respected not by their minds, but by their ranks. Nisa. I myself hate nobility, which is just a name, but what can I do? A noble's daughter cannot marry someone other than a nobleman; she will be despised. However, as soon as your cross is found, you will receive nobility, I assure you: and I am not saying this without reason. Pasquin. My cross cannot be found. Nisa. How did they steal it from you? Were you drunk and fell asleep? Pasquin. I never get drunk, knowing that a drunkard is the most worthless person and is almost not considered among the good people. Nisa. Why did you fall into such a deep sleep? Pasquin. Because I didn’t sleep the whole night and fell asleep almost in the light. Without sleeping the whole night like this, when you fall asleep, of course you will sleep soundly. Nisa. Have you read the book? Pasquin. As if you can read books in this city? Nisa. Why is it not possible? Pasquin. Because here all day long, from morning to night, drunkards tear their throats and roar through the streets like bears in the forest, despite the fact that this is the capital city and that this is not tolerated in any Russian city except Moscow and St. Petersburg, and even here , and in Moscow twenty years ago it was not important. And another reason why the hearing, and therefore the soul, has no peace all day long, is that many owners have become too skilled at shipbuilding and are cutting up frozen barges, although they can be cut, saving the sense of neighboring hearing from undeserved punishment. Nisa. Well, what a restlessness at night; Even those schools in which the mob is taught to drink are locked at night; And they don’t cut wood at night either? Pasquin. And at night, all over the city, both on the streets and in the courtyards, dogs bark, although this was not much the case twenty years ago. And our neighbor has a bass player chained in his yard, who endlessly amuses his tender ears and torments the ears of his neighbors, who are reluctant to listen to his music. It was this bass player that worried me more than any other night. And then the bell started ringing. Nisa. The ringing of bells serves the glory of God. Pasquin. But I thought that it serves to disturb human beings and amuse the bell-ringers. I truly did not know this until this time. That's it, Nisanka; a century to live, a century to learn. Well, when it’s for the glory of God, you could only call during the day, but at night, why do they call? If in order for God to be glorified at all hours, then it would be necessary to ring at all hours. And the night, I think, was ordained by God for this purpose, so that man could have rest: so the will of God determined silence, and not knocking, for rest. Nisa. I really don’t know this. I’ll ask my spiritual father about this, and he even knows Latin. Pasquin. Do the bell towers really ring in Latin?

SCENE XV

Valery, Sostrata, Nysa and Pasquin.

Valery. Your participation was revealed: you are brother Valeriev, you are my brother. I proclaim to you your race, I proclaim to you your joy and I rejoice with you. Pasquin. Am I not seeing a dream? What it is? Explain to me. Sostrata. All this will be explained to you today, and I removed your cross from you: Valery has the same cross; it is true that you are a double. And your cross is not the only one that assures us of this. Your whole business has been unraveled, why are you Valerian and brother Valeriev, and not Pasquin and not a slave. Pasquin. What happened? Nisa. It is clear that everything has happened that I expected with extreme desire, and that everything that hindered the union of our hearts has been resolved. Pasquin. I see that I am ascending to the very top of my well-being; the nobility of my heart is associated with a noble name. Valery, revered by me more than all those nobles whom I saw in my life and from whom I, not knowing any science, daily refined my mind and purified my heart, my brother. The beautiful Sostrata will be my daughter-in-law. And you, dear Nisa, possess me forever, if I am worthy of your possession. O Nisa! Nisa! You are dearer to me than the light of my eyes, I will not exchange you for all earthly treasures and all human happiness. Nisa. Your new condition increases my hope, but nothing can increase my love for you. Compatriot is a witness to my secret sighs for you, dark nights are a witness to my heavy groans for you, and my bed, a witness to my bitter tears for you, is repeatedly watered by them. All those obstacles that tormented my heart are ending, Sostrata, all those obstacles are ending. Valery. I'm in a hurry now, Sostrata. Tell them what's going on.

SCENE XVI

Sostrata,Nisaand Pasquin.

Sostrata. Palemon, a friend of Valeriev's late father, writes that the case was examined by the board of justice based on his report, with which he clearly proved how the Stranger, having taken Valeriev's twin brother out of the cradle, was given to strangers by some old woman; who was also interrogated, like those who accepted the baby and knew about him, whose son he was. And how they, having come to poverty, gave their adopted son from a small house to others, who did not adopt him, but only out of sheer love for mankind grew and, having grown up, released him for their own food and who were also interrogated, like the nurse who gave him fed. And that it is necessary to announce this to Valerian and the Stranger in order to change their fortunes: the first to gain, and the other to lose, a noble name. Pasquin. O pleasant hours! Nisa. O joyful moments! Sostrata. O blessed day! Day of our common well-being! Day of retribution for lawlessness and virtue! Stay alone, I don’t want to disturb you from anticipating your future joy.

SCENE XVII

Nisa and Pasquin.

Nisa. I give you my hand, Valerian, and with this hand I give you my heart. I say that I will be faithful to you until death, and I don’t swear. An oath does not nail a slacker to virtue, but a good man is nailed to it with just one word: this one does not irritate humanity, and that one irritates the deity; This one doesn’t even call a person to confirm his good intentions, knowing that they believe him even without guarantees, and that vile reptile dares to call the almighty God from heaven to cover up his deception as a surety. Pasquin. And I, following your example, do not swear to you, Nisa, however, even without an oath, I will maintain my loyalty to you until the grave. There is nothing greater than God in heaven and nothing greater than justice on earth. And evildoers do not attack virtues with anything other than the name of God and the form of justice, although all laws, both Divine and human, are set against mere idlers. O people, people! What advantage do you have in virtue over brutes? I would rather live with fierce beasts in dark and impenetrable forests than with fierce people in the most magnificent palaces. And with you, my dear Nisa, I am ready to live in any place: everywhere is heaven for me, where you are with me. Nisa. Even the hut where you will be with me will seem like a royal house to me.

SCENE XVIII

Stranger, Nysa and Pasquin.

Alien grabber. What, Nisanka, have you come to your senses? Nisa. In what, sir! Alien grabber. And that, madam, is for you to marry me. Nisa. I, sir, have already told you that I will not marry you. Alien grabber. So you didn’t imagine the chervonets: what kind of appearance do they have, what kind of radiance and what attractive power do they have? Nisa. No, sir. Alien grabber. No imperials? Nisa. I, sir, even in my poverty do not have this meanness, so that I can console myself with the imagination of money. Alien grabber. O great and almighty God! How do you hear such soul-destroying speeches and tolerate such lawlessness? I am amazed at your long-suffering. Pasquin. And I, sir, am surprised that God tolerates such great iniquity. Nisa. I, sir, am not an icon and am not glorified by miracles, and I do not need your gold and silver. But it seems to me that although it is good for those who, out of zeal, decorate holy and justly revered icons with gold and silver, and especially those who show God’s wisdom the signs of Him who created heaven and earth with His wisdom, it is even better to nail your heart to God than a piece of gold or silver for his icon. Alien grabber. Silver and gold, Nisanka, can be applied to an icon, although it’s not in the mind, but you can’t apply the heart to God, when it’s not in the mind. But I, to speak between us in my cell, have no zeal for God, and I sincerely admit this to you, as a good person and an Orthodox Christian. And you, my little ruble, my little gold, my little imperial, I will take for myself and by force; It is better to take away a person’s will and save him than to leave it to him to perish. But young people never need to be given freedom, because they do not yet know what is useful for them and what is harmful. Nisa. No, sir, you cannot marry me by force. Pasquin. This, sir, does not happen. Alien grabber. And you, my friend, don’t care about this. I have long noticed that you are dragging after her, so get out of the yard: go, go, and so that your spirit is not here. Get out, get out of the yard, get out, worthless one.

SCENE XIX

Stranger, Valery, Palemon, Nysa and Pasquin.

Pasquin. Here, Nisa, this is the palmist who predicted to me that I would be happy on the cross, and who entrusted me with the service in this house, and they are driving me out just because you don’t want to love the old man. There would be old people without servants if they kicked their people out of their houses because women didn’t like their young men. Valery. This is not a palmist, but a friend of ours, Valerian, father, returning to me my brother, and to you your breed. Alien grabber. What are you raving about? The Last Judgment has not yet come, and there is no resurrection of the dead: but this baby you are talking about is already twenty-two years old since he died. And if he had been resurrected, he would have been resurrected the way he died - as a two-year-old baby, and not as a pestle: people don’t grow up in the next world. Palemon. The Last Judgment is upon you, but the resurrection of the dead has already come to him. Alien grabber. Do you remember that Christ rose on a weekday; so our resurrection from the dead will be on the same day, and today is Friday. Of course, you were full of meat when you forgot that today is Friday. Palemon. No need to know what day it is. Alien grabber. And if I cheated, so did you, then knowing why I hesitated and remained silent for so long? And if I am a rogue, so are you. Palemon. At the same time I announced this to Count Taxpayer. However, you remember this, that you, having learned about this, took ten thousand from Valerian’s money to Mr. Count; So it was said to me at hand that if I even hint about when, I won’t find a place for myself in Kamchatka. Alien grabber. So you would hit him with your forehead. Palemon. I would have had great success if I had started hitting him with my brow. Now he is no longer in the world, and justice has been resumed, so I put this matter into action. Alien grabber. Praise the dream when it comes true. Palemon. This dream has already come true. Alien grabber. How can you prove this matter? Palemon. To many. And the first proof is this: come in here, old lady.

PHENOMENON XX

The same and the Old Woman.

Palemon. Do you know this person? Old woman. I see it bad, my dear; I'm already in my eighth decade. (Puts on glasses and looks at Stranger.) Oh, precious gentleman, how you have turned grey... I wouldn’t have recognized you, if only you hadn’t given a damn in my face, if I hadn’t seen you in your house. Alien grabber. I haven’t seen you, old woman, since I was a child, and I don’t know who you are. Old woman. Do you remember, good sir, how you gave me your brainchild? Alien grabber. You're out of your mind, old woman. This never happened. Old woman. AND! darling! As if it never happened. The pullet also told me about this brainchild later, as if she had breastfed him and that he was the master’s son. And he truly resembled the master’s son, like a apple of apple. She told the person to whom I gave it about this; Yes, of course, where does the master’s son come from? But you wouldn’t give up your son; and the snake does not devour its own wombs, and that this was the master’s son, we did not believe it, even though she was in the house where I took the baby, and told all the ins and outs about him. Alien grabber. You've gone crazy, old woman. Old woman. I have trouble hearing, boyar. Outlaw (shouts to her). WITH you're crazy. Old woman. My father, I don’t have to live for two centuries, so I must remember death, and I am telling the very real truth. And you, boyars, just like us, are dying, so you too must remember death. Valery. Enough, old lady, go with God.

SCENE XXI

The same, except for the Old Woman.

Alien grabber. All three of you are rogues, and you should all be hanged. Valery. No, sir, you are the rogue, not us, and it is you who should be hanged, not us. Good people are not hanged anywhere, but thieves, robbers and robbers, according to all laws, both divine and human, are hanged in all enlightened and philanthropic nations. And if it were otherwise, good people would not be happy with the security in the world. And the less the lawless perish from justice, the more the innocent perish from the lawless.

THE LAST PHENOMENON

Stranger, Valery, Valerian, S ostrat, N and sa, Palemon, Secretary and two soldiers.

Secretary. By decision of the State College of Justice, by the approval of the Governing Senate and by the Highest Command, it was established to describe your estate and that which actually belongs to you, to give to Valerian, having settled the settlement for guardianship, and to collect from his heirs the money that you donated to the late Count Taxpayer with all interests according to the decrees, and from now on, take you under guard for the sake of inflicting the execution due to you according to the laws, for revenge on the truth and for aversion through fear from an atrocity that is intolerable in an honest and prosperous society. Alien grabber. Yes, this matter is not quite over yet. Secretary. It's completely over. Alien grabber. I was never tortured, but I should have been tortured three times, and if I had not endured three tortures, then they should have accused me. Secretary. Feel free to go. Alien grabber. The frost is creeping up my skin. The end of the world has come. I'm dying! I'm dying! I'm burning! I'm drowning! Help! I'm dying! I'm going to hell! I'm suffering! I suffer, I suffer! Secretary (to the soldiers). Take it. Alien grabber. Be you, my villains, cursed both in this world and in the future.

The secretary leaves and the Stranger is taken out.

Valery. Disappear, lawlessness, and prosper, virtue! And you, love, the dearest joy in human life, rooted in our hearts and delighting us with your beautiful flowers, let us taste your sweet fruits!

The end of comedy

Notes

CONVENTIONAL ABBREVIATIONS

Archive repositories

GPB - State Public Library named after. M. E. Saltykova-Shchedrin. Department of Manuscripts (Leningrad) IRLI - Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House) of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Manuscript department (Leningrad)

Printed sources

Berkov -- Berkov P. N. History of Russian comedy of the 18th century. L., 1977 Izbr. -- Sumarokov A.P. Selected works [Introduction. article, preparation of text and notes. P. N. Berkova]. L., 1957 (Poet's Library. Large series. 2nd ed.) Izvestia - Izvestia of the Department of Russian Language and Literature of the Academy of Sciences. T. XII, book. 2. St. Petersburg, 1907 Letters - Letters from Russian writers of the 18th century. L., 1980 PSVS - Complete collection of all the works in verse and prose of the late actual state councilor, Knight of the Order of St. Anne and Leipzig Scientific Assembly member Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov. Part I-X. M., 1781--1782 Collection - Collection of materials for the history of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in the 18th century. [Published by A. A. Kunik]. St. Petersburg, 1865, part II Semennikov - Semennikov V.P. Materials for the history of Russian literature and for the dictionary of writers of the era of Catherine II. St. Petersburg, 1914 Synopsis - Gisel Innocent. Synopsis, or a brief description of the beginning of the Slovenian people, the first Kyiv princes, and the life of the holy, noble and great prince Vladimir... 4th ed. St. Petersburg, 1746 This collection of dramatic works by A.P. Sumarokov is offered to the reader’s attention and includes thirteen plays. The five tragedies, seven comedies and one drama selected for this publication do not exhaust everything that was created by Sumarokov for the stage. The published works are intended to give an idea of ​​his dramatic heritage in the context of the formation of the repertoire of the Russian classical theater of the 18th century. and show the evolution of Sumarokov’s interpretation of dramatic genres at different stages of his creative path. The main selection criteria were the ideological and artistic originality of the plays and their typicality for the Sumarokov dramatic system as a whole. Many of Sumarokov's plays appeared in print even before they were staged or shortly after. Moreover, the playwright constantly strived to improve the text of his plays, bringing them closer to the requirements of the time and the tastes of the audience. In 1768, he radically revised almost all of the dramatic works he had created since 1747 and at the same time published most of them in a corrected form. This second edition of the early plays became canonical, and in this form they were placed by N. I. Novikov in the corresponding (3-6) volumes of the Complete Collection of All Works in Poetry and Prose of the Late Actual State Councilor, Order of St. Anne, prepared by him after the death of the writer Knight and Leipzig Scientific Assembly member Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov" (part. I-X. M., 1781-1782). The second edition (M., 1787) repeated the first. N.I. Novikov printed the texts of plays from manuscripts he received from the playwright’s relatives, as well as from the latest lifetime editions of Sumarokov’s works. Therefore, Novikov’s “Complete collection of all works in verse and prose...” by A.P. Sumarokov remains today the most authoritative and accessible source of texts of the playwright’s works. In preparing this collection, we also relied on this publication. In particular, the texts of all published comedies by Sumarokov, his drama "The Hermit", as well as two tragedies ("Sinav and Truvor" and "Artistona") were taken by us from the corresponding volumes of the named publication. In Soviet times, Sumarokov's dramatic works were republished extremely rarely. Individual plays, often presented in abbreviated form, were included in university “readers on Russian literature of the 18th century.” Essentially, the first scientific publication of this period was the one-volume work prepared by P. N. Berkov: Sumarokov A. P. Selected Works. L., 1957 (Poet's Library. Large series), including three tragedies: "Horev", "Semira" and "Dimitri the Pretender". In the collection “Russian Comedy and Comic Opera of the 18th Century” (L., 1950), P. N. Berkov published the first edition of the comedy “An Empty Quarrel” (“A Quarrel between a Husband and His Wife”). Finally, the collection “Russian Drama of the 18th Century” (Moscow, 1986), recently released by the Sovremennik publishing house, prepared by G. N. Moiseeva and G. A. Andreeva, included the tragedy of A. P. Sumarokov “Dimitri the Pretender”. This exhausts the number of modern editions of Sumarokov’s dramatic works. The proposed book will give the general reader the opportunity to become more deeply and fully acquainted with the dramatic heritage of Sumarokov and the Russian theatrical repertoire of the 18th century. Of particular importance when publishing texts of the 18th century. has to bring them into line with currently existing spelling standards. The system of spelling and punctuation during Sumarokov’s time was quite different from modern requirements. This concerned the most diverse aspects of morphological paradigmatics: the spelling of case endings of nouns, adjectives, participles, demonstrative, possessive and personal pronouns, endings of adverbs and verbs with a reflexive particle -sya (for example: crown - instead of crown, shoulder - shoulders; dragia - dear, local - local, kotorov - which, kovo - whom; praise - more praiseworthy, soon - sooner; zhenitsa - get married, etc. d.). Sound combinations in prefixes, suffixes and roots of individual words were also written differently (for example: zbirayu - instead of collecting, anxiety - anxiety, zgovor - conspiracy, marriage - marriage, grusno - sad, happiness - happiness, better - - better, soldier - soldier, heart - heart, late - late, yupka - skirt, etc.). The writing of the conjunctive particles not, nor, whether, with in combination with a meaningful word also had its own specifics. The norm of written language of the 18th century. separate writing of particles with pronouns and verbs was considered (for example: nichchevo - instead of nothing, is there - if, with everything - at all, not lying - impossible, nor how - in any way, etc.). In most of these cases, the spelling of words was brought into line with modern spelling standards. True, sometimes it seemed expedient to preserve outdated forms of spelling. This point was already pointed out at one time by P. N. Berkov in the above-mentioned publication “Selected Works” by A. P. Sumarokov, regarding the reproduction of the text of tragedies. The specificity of the verse structure of tragedies sometimes dictated the need to preserve outdated orthoepic forms in spelling. This concerned those cases where modernization of spelling could lead to a disruption of verse rhythm or affect the rhyming endings of verses. Here are examples of the preservation of such stylistically justified archaic spelling: “And this calamitous pain of mourning blood...”; or: “You are going against the one you love...”; or: “The silence of the people’s border will be interrupted...”, as well as examples of rhyme pairs: I want - I will convert, anger - delete, love - blood, I will soften - I will return, etc. Sometimes modernizing old spelling norms can lead to a distorted understanding of the author’s thought contained in the phrase, as we see, for example, in the following verse from the tragedy “Horev”: “Open the gates of my dear prison for me,” where the adjective refers to the last word, although in pronunciation it can be perceived as referring to the word “ gate." And there are a sufficient number of such examples in plays. In general, when publishing the texts of tragedies, we were guided by the textual principles adopted in the indicated edition of selected works by A.P. Sumarokov, carried out by P.N. Berkov in 1957. Slightly different principles were adopted when publishing the texts of Sumarokov’s comedies. The specifics of this genre determined the focus on maximally preserving the vernacular element of the language of comic characters. Only this approach makes it possible to convey to the modern reader the flavor of the everyday speech of people of that era. This applies, in particular, to the transmission of certain forms of endings of nouns, adjectives, gerunds, reflecting the old norms of speech practice, such as: two days, bribes, rubles, speeches, saint, having taken out, edakay, having come, etc.; or to preserve the specific sound of individual words, as it was customary in the spoken language of the 18th century, for example: named, doubtful, opposite, shameless, genvarya, frightened, go, want, embrace, etc. We also tried to completely preserve the colloquial vowel foreign words adopted in the 18th century. in Russian, as well as dialectisms such as: clevicorty, intermecia, otleportovat, enaral, proviyant; now, three times, sabe, tabe, pochal, syudy, vit, etc. Words, the meaning of which may be incomprehensible to the modern reader, are included in the “Dictionary of obsolete and foreign words and expressions” attached at the end. We also have to face certain difficulties when covering the stage fate of Sumarokov’s plays. Undoubtedly, Sumarokov's tragedies and comedies were played in the second half of the 18th century. quite widely, entering the repertoire of most Russian troupes of that time. But information about the activities of even the court theater, not to mention the performances of serf theaters and free Russian troupes, is generally fragmentary. Therefore, the surviving data on the productions of Sumarokov’s plays do not guarantee complete knowledge about the stage life of a particular play. We tried to make maximum use of all sources of such information available to modern theater studies. When preparing the publication, in particular when working on the commentaries, the research of other researchers in this area was taken into account: P. N. Berkov, V. N. Vsevolodsky-Gerngross, B. A. Aseev, T. M. Elnitskaya, G. Z. Mordison , to which appropriate references are given in the text of the notes.

For the first time - Guardian. Comedy by Alexander Sumarokov. St. Petersburg, 1765. According to P. N. Berkov, when publishing the comedy, Sumarokov made some amendments to the original text (see: Berkov, pp. 88-89). Included in PSVS (Part V, p. 1-54; 2nd ed. M., 1787, p. 1-48). There is no information about the performances of the comedy. P. N. Berkov connects this with the attacks against Catherine’s policies in the text of the play (see: Berkov, pp. 88-89). P. 366. ...this matter is still not important... - this matter is still not important. P. 367. ...whose father traveled to the kingdom of Kitachet and was in the Kamchatka state and wrote a story about this state. -- This refers to S.P. Krasheninnikov (1711-1755), Russian geographer, explorer of Kamchatka, who wrote the book “Description of the Land of Kamchatka,” which was published after the author’s death in 1756. P. 368. ...what is taken, that's holy. And this proverb is legal and was observed inviolably in orders, unless now, according to the New Code, it will be abandoned. -- According to P. N. Berkov, the phrase is a later insertion into the text of the comedy (see: Berkov, p. 89), since it contains a hint of the convening of the Commission to draft the New Code of 1767. It is not even in the calendar -- calendar - a monthly, chronological, month-by-month list of Christian saints indicating the days to which their commemoration is dated. P. 369. ...and not only spiritual ones, but also those despicable sovereigns who are unworthy of this title. - P. N. Berkov sees in this remark of the maid Sostrata the playwright’s hidden attack against the policies of Catherine II (see: Berkov, pp. 88-89). In the Roman kingdom, the cathedral church had a priest... - Aliengrab retells a historical anecdote about the Roman Pope Sixtus V. Sumarokov apparently drew this information from the “Pismovnik” by N. N. Kurganov (St. Petersburg, 1765), where this The story is placed in the "Intricate Stories" section. P. 371. ...from end-to-end canvas. - That is, from rough homespun canvas. P. 378. Become a clerk and achieve the rank of registrar, and you will become a nobleman. -- See note. to s. 350.

Dictionary of obsolete and foreign words and expressions

In 1766, a great event occurred in the history of Russian comedy: Fonvizin’s “Brigadier” became known in metropolitan circles. In 1772, the first comedies of Catherine II appeared. The last three comedies of Sumarokov date back to the same year. They were most decisively influenced by the discovery made by Fonvizin already in “The Brigadier” - a new show of life on stage, and specifically the Russian provincial landowner life in the first place, and a new show of a person with a more complex psychological characteristic and in more clarified specific social conditions .

All three of Sumarokov's latest comedies are more compact in plot.

The undoubted masterpiece of Sumarokov’s entire comedic work is his “Cuckold by Imagination,” a comedy that seems to stand in the way of Fonvizin from “The Brigadier” to “The Minor,” despite Sumarokov’s lesser comedic talent. The theme of this play was not new, but it was not framed in the same way as it was done in French comedy (Sumarokov’s play has nothing in common with Moliere’s comedy “Sganarelle, or the Imaginary Cuckold”). Sumarokov introduces the viewer to the life of a seedy, provincial, poor and uncultured landowner's house. Before us are two elderly people, husband and wife, Vikul and Khavronya. They are stupid, ignorant; these are backward, wild people, and comedy should ridicule their provincial barbarism. But at the same time, they are touching in their funny affection for each other. They are a little old-world landowners. In their house lives a poor noblewoman Florisa, educated and virtuous, but without a dowry. A noble and wealthy neighbor, Count Cassander, comes to visit them on the way from hunting. Old man Vikul was jealous of the brilliant count for his Khavronya. He is sure that Khavronya cuckolded him. In the end he learns that the Count and Florisa have fallen in love, that the Count will marry Florisa; thereby dissipating his jealousy.

The comedy is built primarily on showing two characters - Vikul and Khavronya; the rest of the faces are traditional and abstract, although in the role of the dowry Floriza there is a psychological picture that is very unique. But Vikul and especially Khavronya are everyday figures who are important in the history of Russian comedy. True, in both of these roles, and especially in the role of Khavronya, the influence of “The Brigadier” and, above all, the image of the foreman is noticeable. But Sumarokov managed to learn the lessons of his young rival in such a way that he was then able to give him something for his future great comedy.

“Cuckold by Imagination” has notes of “Undergrown.” First of all, the very circle of what is depicted is the same life of the poor and wild landowner province; this is the same rude and colorful landowners of the non-metropolitan type. Floriza is in the family of Vikul and Khavronya, like Sophia with the Prostakovs, although Floriza is not offended; in general, these two roles are correlated. Similar to the famous scene after the fight between Prostakova and her brother, the exit of Vikula and his wife who had just fought (d. 2, episode 6). Khavronya’s name sounds like a pun on the Skotinins’ surname, and the manner of everyday drawing and the theme itself come close in places in both comedies.

Sumarokov set the theme developed in “Nedorosl” - about the barbaric social practice of the dark reactionary landowner “masses” (and right there - Skotinin’s pigs).

Sumarokov paints the life of Vikul and Khavronya with rich colors. His victory must be considered such scenes as, for example, Khavronya ordering a ceremonial dinner or the awkward “small” conversations with which she tries to keep the count busy. In these scenes, as in the dialogues of both spouses, Sumarokov reaches the highest point in his desire to convey everyday speech, bright, lively, completely conversational, in places close to the structure of a folk tale, interspersed with proverbs and sayings. He conveys this speech naturalistically, without crystallizing its forms; he considers it uncultured speech that serves to characterize his landowners as barbarians; but still genuine, real speech sounds in his play; it was also heard in his previous comedies, but “Cuckold by Imagination” is his best prose play in this regard.

Here, for example, is a conversation about jealousy:

“Havronya - Ugh, dad! How are you not afraid of God? What thoughts did you have in your old age? Telling people this will make them laugh. By the way, did you come up with this?

V i k u l - Why not be afraid that this happens to other people too.

Khavronya - I’m no longer a young woman; so why should you be afraid!

V i k u l - Yes, there is a proverb that thunder does not always thunder from a heavenly cloud, but sometimes from a dung heap.

Khavronya - Pip on your tongue; what kind of dung do you have?

Floriza - What is this, madam?

V i k u l - Wife, keep this to yourself.

Khavronya - FAQ about yourself? This is shame and rubbish.

V i k u l - Don’t talk, my treasure, my diamond stone.

Khavronya - Yes, this is not good, my cherry berry.

V i k u l - Wife, stop it.

Khavronya - Kiss me, strong, mighty hero.

V i k u l - Let's kiss, my sunflower star.

Khavronya - Be more cheerful, and as bright as a new month, but don’t be jealous.

V i k u l - Wife, who talks about jealousy?

Khavronya – What broke through me! Come on, the horse has four legs, and even he stumbles, and I’m an illiterate woman, so I can’t say anything.”...

A. P. Sumarokov

Cuckold by imagination

A. P. Sumarokov. Dramatic works. L., "Art", 1990

CHARACTERS

Vikul, nobleman. Khavronya, his wife. Floriza, poor servant. Kasander, Count. Butler. Nisa, Khavronin's maid. Huntsman of Count Kassandra.

ACT ONE

PHENOMENON I

Nisa (alone).

Someone's huntsman has been sent to us; Of course, we will have guests, but the master is still sleeping. Usually it is those husbands who do not get out of bed for a long time, who love their wives very tenderly; and our old people, it seems, are no longer old enough.

SCENE II

Nisa and the Huntsman.

Huntsman. Is your lord at home, girl? Nisa. He's still in bed. Who sent you from and why? Huntsman. To whom I was sent, I will tell him from whom I was sent and why. Nisa. Wow, dad, how arrogant! Huntsman. Wow, mother, how curious. Nisa. Of course, are you a joker? Huntsman. And you, darling, are so pretty that I haven’t seen many pretty ones. Do you know, girl, that I am mortally in love with you. Nisa. Stop joking around. Huntsman. What a joke! If this is a lie, then hang me. Nisa. It's time for me to go to the bars, the lady will get up soon. So what can I say about you? Huntsman. Tell him that a huntsman has been sent from Count Kasander.

SCENE III

Huntsman (one).

Oh, sudden wound! O Cupid! You're a perfect target: you're more skillful and agile than me in shooting! And if all the huntsmen were like you in shooting, then in one year there would not be a single sandpiper and not a single thrush left in the world.

PHENOMENA IV

Vikul and Jaeger.

Vikul. What are you doing, my friend? Huntsman. I was sent from Count Kasander to your this... to your superior... to your high... What rank are you, sir? Vikul. What do you care, brother, about my rank? Whatever it is. Huntsman. I was sent from Count Kasander to your honor... Do you, sir, have the rank of major? Vikul. No, brother. Huntsman. I was sent from Count Kasander to your noble... Are you, sir, a nobleman? Vikul. Although not rich... But why and from whom were you sent? Huntsman. I was sent from Count Kasander to your health. The Count ordered you to bow deeply. (Bows to ground.) Vikul. This is very low. Huntsman. There is nothing lower than the lowest bow. As for the most humble bow, I don’t even understand that anymore. Vikul. What else have you been ordered to do? Huntsman. Also cohabitate... also the spouse... What, sir, are the wives of village nobles titled? Vikul. Title it as you wish. What does the Count care about my wife? Huntsman. It's time to pay her respects. Vikul. Yes, he doesn’t even know her. Huntsman. He is your neighbor, so he knows the name of your partner... spouse... well, whatever it is. Vikul. Why is it known? Huntsman. Because she is a landowner here. Vikul. No, brother, I am the landowner, not she. And she owns only the seventh part of my real estate. And even then she will get it if she survives me. Huntsman. I was ordered to pay my deepest respects to her as well. Vikul. Okay, my friend, I’ll give her this bow. Huntsman. You, sir, are not a young man, so you need to take care of your back. I think you are feeling bad weather? Vikul. Tell me, my friend, why you were sent, briefly. Huntsman. Count Kasander, riding like a dog, will come to you at a crossroads. Vikul. Welcome. Bow to His Excellency.

PHENOMENA V

Vikul (one).

Isn’t that why the count wants to come to me so that he can dangle my wife? It's not very useful to me. And you, Count, bare your teeth at someone else’s property in vain; for this honor, Your Excellency, I humbly thank you.

SCENE VI

Vikul and Khavronya.

Sow. What the hell kind of adjutant did we have? Vikul. Not an adjutant, he was a huntsman. In our opinion, a servant who shoots walking birds. Sow. What a servant; all in prose. Vikul. Nowadays gentlemen have this manner. It was a huntsman from Count Kasander: His Excellency would like to come to us. Sow. His Excellency! Vikul. And what? Is he familiar to you? Sow. Yes, I will not forget his high mercy, having a soul in a body. And if he had shown me such a sinful fatherly mercy and ordered the painter to paint his person, I would have placed her in front of my bed and would not have taken my eyes off her. Vikul (especially). It was as if my heart heard it! Why do you know him and what kindness did he do to you? Sow. But, my dear, I’ll tell you. Just as I was in Moscow without you this winter, they praised some kind of intermecia to me and persuaded me to go there. Sometimes it happens to an old woman. I went, I entered the hall, they started playing violins, oboes, and clevicorts; Some people came out and started talking all sorts of things, and they were waving and waving their arms like dolls; then someone came out, and some woman was brought to him on a chain, from whom he asked I don’t know what letter, and she answered that she had torn him up; came out, they gave him a gilded goblet, but with what drink, I don’t know; he sent this cup to her, and everything was fine; then someone else came, talked a little, and something came over him; when he, daddy, screamed, his hat flew off, and he began to rush around like a mad cat, and when he took out the knife, he sprayed himself, and I froze. And this count, then sitting with me in the same closet and having started talking before the interlude that I was his neighbor, then with Mungal vodka, as I fainted from fear, he saved me from death. Vikul. Is graph-at good? Sow. So handsome, pretentious and courteous that it’s completely taboo. Vikul. Wife! at least you praised him less. Sow. How not to praise! Yes, such a good fellow and the old people won’t remember him. Vikul. Wife! I don't like it. Sow. AND! my swallow! Are you already jealous of him? Yes, I wouldn’t exchange you for the prince’s Bova. Vikul. Wife! I don’t know what gives me the creeps! Go and lie down. Sow. And I’ll tell you about the food and snacks.

SCENE VII

Khavronya (one).

For the mercy of his High Reis-County Excellency, it is necessary to treat him better; for a dear friend and an earring from the ear. Butler!

SCENE VIII

Khavronya and Dvoretsky.

Sow. Do we have pig feet? Butler. Yes, madam. Sow. Order them to be cooked with sour cream and horseradish, and order them to stuff the stomach, and have it sewn up with silk, not thread. Yes, tell the weakling to make porridge... Butler. Would you like it in a pot, lady empress, or on a platter? Sow. In a pot, and in a pot, and cover it with a Venice plate; pies with carrots, pies with salted milk mushrooms, left-handed mushrooms with dried raspberries, pork frucasse with prunes, French pie made from sleeve flour, and filled with lingonberry marshmallows. Do we have Kaluga dough? Butler. Available. Sow. And besides that, order yourself what to cook, fry, bake, as long as there is enough of everything. Serve the salad not with hemp oil, but with nut butter. Butler. Noble gentlemen prefer to use wooden oil for salads: so wouldn’t you rather order some butter to go with lampatnova salad? Sow. Phew, dad! I'm not an infidel! And after the meal, put out pods, beans, carrots, turnips and cucumbers, both fresh and freshly salted, and serve coffee with sugar, not molasses. Fix everything as it should, and they went to the market to buy gilded gingerbread, and they ordered to sweep away the cobwebs, and they ordered to grease the doors so that they would not creak, and they ordered to feed the people. Butler. This, noble empress, is not common, it is an old fashion. Previously, they fed the living room horses, but now they don’t feed people either. Sow. Feed both the people and the horses of His Excellency; everything would be as you were ordered. Butler. Our business, madam. Everything will be fine.

SCENE IX

Khavronya (one).

One day there will be us! And you, Count's Excellency, can eat our bread and salt without shame. It is a gift that our mansions are not colorful: the hut is not red in its corners, but red in its pies.

PHENOMEN X

Khavronya and Nisa.

Nisa. The butler orders forty dishes to be prepared for your table. And Florisa, having canceled it, ordered only twelve dishes to be prepared: I know better how to establish this. Do you know that she grew up and was raised in St. Petersburg. So won’t you order us to attend her feast, so as not to be dishonored? And she grew up in public. Sow. How can this be better!

SCENE XI

Khavronya, Floriza and Nisa.

Sow. Intercede, mother, for our salvation. Floriza. Okay, madam, I’ve already ordered everything, and besides that, I’ll see to everything myself. Sow. And I’ll go and confirm for them.

SCENE XII

Floriza and Nisa.

Floriza. Why are you so cheerful, Nisa? Nisa. And you, mother, why are you so sad? Floriza. When do you see me cheerful? Nisa. And today you are extremely sad. Floriza. When others are having fun or are ready for a pleasant pastime, then I am usually sadder, imagining to myself that fate brought me into poverty and despondency. Nisa. Maybe your life will change someday. Floriza. That's not where it's heading. Nisa. You are still young; so maybe you will marry a husband who will turn all your current sadness into joy. Floriza. It is difficult for a poor or, better said, poor girl to have a worthy groom: a poor and worthy one will not take me, and I will not marry an unworthy rich man. Nisa. Or maybe your husband will be smart, good, and rich. Floriza. Such lots are now very rare for wealthy people to marry meager girls. Nisa. Yes, you have all the virtues: you are beautiful, smart, well-behaved, young, raised nobly by your late parents, you know the teaching that is proper for noble girls, a reader of books... Floriza. Even if all this was in me, my first dignity is that I don’t have a dowry. Nisa. What does this word dowry exactly mean? And why is the bride’s wealth called that? Floriza. Addition to the person. However, for the most part, it is not money and not property that is attached to a person, but a person is attached to property and money, and speaking about this, is it possible for me not to be sad? Here's my thoughtfulness. Why are you so cheerful today? Nisa. And today I am happy that I have received hope of getting out of this home. Have you, madam, heard from me how I got into the house here? Floriza. I heard it, but I really don’t remember it in detail. Nisa. I inherited this house from my late Vikulova sister. I grew up in Moscow, and now I must, wearing out the rest of my clothes, live like a village and hear only about hay, about harvesting, about threshing, about chickens, about ducks, about geese, about rams and, eating up my life, I must still wait for a groom who will say: publish a FAQ, dear heart? bysta with me - and other similar peasant speeches. And the petty nobles themselves are intolerable. I'm not talking about everyone; There are quite a few good people among them. But some of them sulk like frogs, and think only about their nobility, which they know by name alone, and dream about their peasants that they were created by God for their masters to reproach themselves. There is nothing more intolerable than that creature who is exalted by the mere shadow of a noble name and who, sitting near the kneading bowl, is surrounded by servants in bast shoes and sashes and barefoot servants in sarafans, exalted with the title of a boyar. Floriza. What hope do you have of leaving this house? Nisa. The huntsman sent by Count Kasander fell in love with me. Floriza. How about you, Nisa, aren’t you ashamed! What kind of faint hope do you rejoice in! Nisa. Don't take her away from me; Let her at least amuse me empty. Floriza. But I don’t see hope even in a dream.

SCENE XIII

Vikul, Khavronya, Floriza and Nisa.

Sow. Phew, dad! How are you not afraid of God? What thoughts did you have in your old age? If you tell people this, they will laugh! By the way, did you come up with this? Vikul. How can you not be afraid of what happens to other people? Sow. I’m not a young woman anymore, so why should you be afraid? Vikul. Yes, there is a proverb that thunder does not always thunder from a heavenly cloud, but sometimes from a dung heap. Sow. A peck on your tongue; what kind of dung do you have? Floriza. What is this, madam? Vikul. Wife, keep this to yourself. Sow. FAQ about yourself? This is a shame and rubbish. Vikul. Don’t talk, my treasure, my diamond reed. Sow. Yes, this is not good, my cherry berry. Vikul. Wife, stop it. Sow. Kiss me, strong mighty hero. Vikul. Let's kiss, my sunflower star. Sow. Be more cheerful and as bright as a new month; don't be jealous. Vikul. Wife who talks about jealousy. Sow. Why did this break through me? Yes, that’s it, the horse has four legs, and even he stumbles, and I’m an illiterate woman, so I can’t say anything. Vikul. Yes, you said it not in words, but in deeds. Sow. I’m a village dad, and I don’t know what the word is, what the deed is. Vikul. The deed is more, but the word is less. Sow. And I thought that the word is more, but the deed is less. A clerk who was about fifty years old in the detective department told me this. Vikul. Otherwise, you're singing and just delirious. Sow. From now on, I won’t say a word about your jealousy towards Count Kasander. Vikul. Fool, you've gone crazy: who is telling you about Count Kasandra? Sow. You say...wow! I really started talking. Vikul. Now lie whatever you want. Floriza. Is it too late, sir, for her to fall in love with others, and for you to be jealous of her? Vikul. Love does not count years.

SCENE XIV

Same with Butler.

Butler. His Highness, the Most Honorable and Most Excellent Count, deigns to go. Sow. We'll go out to the gate. Vikul. Enough to get off the porch. Edakov is a gruff to her! (Especially.)

SCENE XV

Floriza andNisa.

Floriza. Nisa, your ears are laughing. Nisa. I’m not hiding, the truth is yours. Floriza. And as soon as the guests leave, your ears will begin to cry. Nisa. Or things won't be like that. Floriza. I wish that your hope does not deceive you; you know how much I love you and that I come to this house more for your sake. Nisa. And I would marry you in Moscow, mother. Floriza. For me, there is neither happiness nor a groom in the world.

SCENE XVI

Vikul, Khavronya, Kasander, Floriza and Nisa.

Sow. Would you please, Your Highness of the Reisgraf, to have a glass of vodka? Kasander. I humbly thank you, mother, it’s hot and without vodka. Sow. Yes, that vodka, your Highness of the High Reisgraf, is the most noble and rich. Kasander. Thank you, madam. Sow. So, your High Reisgraf Excellency, would you please at least have a glass of Rhine or church wine? Kasander. No, madam, thank you. Sow. In honey or mash? Kasander. No, madam. Sow. So what should we treat such a dear guest with? Vikul. Darling, don’t bother His Excellency. Did you have fun, dear sir, on the hunt? Kasander. Pretty good, sir. And on our way here, we caught a bear, but I almost fell into his clutches: he rushed at me and I barely dodged him. Sow. Is this a good thing? Kasander. Why not stately, madam? Sow. How dare he rush at your Excellency? Kasander. Yes, madam, they are born in forests and grow up in forests: so they do not know any courtesy. Sow. So, you, my handsome man, would rather deign to poison a tame bear, and some of them are more polite to us, the village nobles, because they not only bow politically, but also know how to dance. Kasander. And my poor huntsman he is from his horse... Nisa. Oh! My God. Kasander. The girl is obviously very timid or very compassionate... Don’t be alarmed. He didn’t hurt him or the horse, because he hit him on the forehead with a bullet so hard that he toppled over. Sow. Where is his grace now? Was he sick from fear? Kasander. Hello, madam. And I sent him to Moscow for some need. Nisa (especially). Oh, flattering hope! Oh, unfortunate Nisa!

SCENE XVII

Same with Butler.

Butler. They put it on the table, sir, already cold. Floriza (especially to him). I didn't order you to do this. Butler (especially to her). What could we do without it? Vikul. You are welcome, Most Excellent Count, to taste our bread and salt. Floriza (Aloud to the butler). Has our upper room been swept? Butler (aloud). And the mansions, madam, have all been swept, and the doors have been greased, and the cobwebs have been removed.

SCENE XVIII

Nisa (alone).

My sweet dream is gone, and my hope is gone. I hoped that this was my day, the day of my joy, but this was the saddest time of my life. Suffer now: your sweetest hope has turned into the bitterest despair. Cry, Nisa, cry and weep, desperate Nisa! End of the first act

ACT TWO

PHENOMENON I

Vikul, Khavronya, Count and Butler.

Sow. And I drank a cup of coffee to your Excellency’s health, but my stomach is grumbling; Yes, that's it, it's from last night: I ate fried roach and bream, and gorged myself on botvinya, and most of all it's from the peas. And the peas were the lightest; and they served it to me on a grated plate, and the butter with it was nut butter, and not any other. Graph. In some homes this oil is also eaten with salad, although wood oil is usually used with salad. Sow. Wow! Yes, this does not seem to be salvation. Butler. Mixed with the nations and got used to their deeds. Sow. Would you please, Count's Excellency, have some fun with cards? Graph. No, madam. Sow. Yes, we will not play with money. Graph. Thank you, madam. Sow. Although in bonks or in messenger kings? Graph. I will never be a king, madam, but I don’t want to be beaten. Sow. As if we dare to do such incivility to Your Excellency: just beat us, Most Excellent Count. Graph. I don’t want to hit you, and there’s no reason to. Sow. But how can we fools not be taught? We are guilty before your Excellency and without guilt. Vikul. Would you like to rest, Your Excellency? Graph. I'm not tired, sir... but don't you want to get some rest? Vikul. I'm used to this, dear sir, but won't you be disgusted? Graph. Not at all, sir. Vikul. Wife, let's go and have a rest... And you, merciful sir, have fun with something here... Butler, be inseparable from his Excellency. And we, so that your Highness will not be bored, will send Floriza. And she is learned in conversation, and speaks French. Graph. Very good.

SCENE II

Count and Butler.

Graph. You are the butler here, and who is your clerk? Butler. I, dear sir, am a clerk, I am a solicitor and psalm-reader; Yes, I’m his honor’s barber. Graph. Are your peasants living? Butler. Almost everyone walks around the world, it’s not here and it’s not told to you. Graph. Why is this? Butler. Our noblewoman does not favor idleness and every hour deigns to force the peasants to work. The panache and gambling have increased, and if the peasants work less, then our landowners will have to make money. And although my gentlemen do not favor ostentation or gambling, when collecting money they save their white money for a rainy day. Graph. Okay, brother. Butler. Don’t be angry, illustrious one! At this time the noblewoman deigns to feed the pigs, so I must be present there.

SCENE III

Count (one).

House-building is commendable, but feeding pigs, it seems, is not the master’s business. In the village, the landowners have a lot to do without it, both the landowner and the landowner will find enough necessary and fun exercises.

PHENOMENA IV

Count and Floriza.

Graph. I’m surprised, madam, how you can live among such people. Floriza. What can you do, sir, and you inevitably live when this cannot be changed. I was left orphaned and in poverty, and only one village came to me as an inheritance after my father. Graph. You certainly deserve a different fate, but I knew your father too. And even then I know that everyone respected him for his good qualities. Floriza. Usually children are left behind by respectable people out of contempt: bribe-takers leave their children wealth, and good people leave them poverty. Graph. Don't worry about it. You have barely blossomed, and your life has not yet been founded. It may be that God will not leave you either. Floriza. My hope in God does not perish; however, in this temporary life, happiness may not be prescribed for me. However, I, submitting to my fate, overcome as much as possible. Graph. Rely on me, madam, so I will take care of your happiness as much as possible. Floriza. I am very grateful and accept your kind and generous intention for fulfillment, even though I have never received any success from you in changing my life. But your strength to help the poor will not be there when, seeing someone for the first time, you are filled with such generosity. Graph. You can’t do much for everyone, and that doesn’t include you. Floriza. Yes, I have done nothing special to deserve your condescension. Graph. I would like you to receive the same zeal for me that I received for you in a short time. Floriza. We and our hearts are closed! I believe you, and believe me too, that I have no less zeal for you. Graph. If I were prosperous, madam, I would at least try to marry you to one of my friends who has income. Floriza. I do not assign this commission to you, and no matter how poor I am, I will not marry in search of wealth: with whom to live forever, you should not look for wealth in him. Graph. I present the groom to you, and it will be up to you whether you agree or not. Floriza. Whoever you consider among your friends is certainly worthy of respect, I have no doubt about that; however, it is not just reason that acts when choosing a groom: every person in such circumstances, in addition to a righteous analysis of merits, also has his own taste. I think this is funny to you, that a poor village girl is filled with such empty pride and, barely having food, is so picky. Graph. I can't laugh at this. Every noble soul shares this opinion with you, despite the fact that for the most part the opposite happens. And even that is not surprising, because the human race is for the most part corrupt. And I tell you directly that I came here with this intention, in order to be convinced obviously of what I have heard enough about for your curiosity; and then match you. Floriza. Leave it alone; I don’t want to have any kind of groom whom I haven’t seen since I was born, and of course I don’t really need to be married. Graph. Isn’t it because my matchmaking is unpleasant to you because the matchmaker is disgusting to you? Floriza. I would like more than anything in the world for you to be as disgusted with me as you are with me. Graph. And what I would like most of all is that you would have the same thoughts about me that I have about you. Floriza. You don't know my thoughts. Graph. And so that you feel the same as I feel. Floriza. Your Excellency, you speak darkly and make I don’t know what hints that I don’t understand. Graph. May I speak more clearly? Floriza. Just so that your speeches are similar to my honor. Graph. Having respected you so much, I, of course, will not say anything that might be obscene to your ears and your honor. Floriza. This is strange to me. Graph. Give me permission to speak out, and if you do not agree to my proposal, then leave me my insolence. Floriza. Say what you please; But why should I be angry and consider it insolence that is not in conflict with my honor? Graph. Oh, if only I could hear the answer I wanted! Floriza. Whatever is not contrary to my honor and whatever is possible for me, I will do whatever you want. Graph. I entrust my entire fate, my happiness and my heart to you. Floriza. What could possibly follow from this? Graph. Eternal union and eternal love. Floriza. What kind of union and what kind of love? Graph. Can you love me as much as I love you? Floriza. Well, if I love you so much already; so what? Graph. And so that you would be my wife. Floriza. Have you really not found a bride for yourself in Moscow? Don't you forget that I am the poorest girl. Graph. I, madam, am not of the type to fall in love with wealth. Floriza. Do not follow the first impulse of your passion and the heat of love; it may soon go out. Graph. Then it will go out when my life goes out. Floriza. Think about it, Count, your wife is not a temporary mistress. Graph. Do not torment my soul, if you love me too. Floriza. This happiness is incredible to me. Graph. Resolve my concern. Floriza. I accept your offer with joy, when I am so happy that you please me. Graph. O day, oh joyful day! Floriza. Is this not a dream for me? Graph (kisses her hand). In your image I see all my happiness, all my joys, my life and soul... This is the reason for my coming here.

PHENOMENA V

Count, Floriza And Huntsman.

Graph. So soon you returned! Yes, from now on it’s more than a hundred miles to Moscow. Huntsman. Forgive me, dear sir. Graph. What's the reason that you didn't go? Huntsman. Love. Graph. Which? Nisa (running in). They went to bed to rest, but I just ran to see who had arrived, and after speaking two or three words with the newcomer, I came back and saw that they were fighting. And for what, I myself don’t know.

SCENE VI

Count, Floriza, Vikul, Khavronya, Jaeger and Nisa.

Sow. What a order this is! He broke a woman no matter what: he was jealous of your Excellency; So that’s why I shouldn’t talk to kind people. Vikul. That's it, you idiot. Sow. Full of taboo, fools. Floriza. Be ashamed. Sow. Yes!.. My sides hurt. Vikul. Better get out and don't be a shame. (Taking takes her out by the hand.) Graph. Let's go and make peace between them.

SCENE VII

The huntsman and Nisa.

Huntsman. Do you remember, girl, what I told you earlier? Nisa. It’s enough to mock me; to say something that was not in your heart and never will be? Huntsman. Will you love me? And I’m not telling you this as a mockery: if you don’t, then why should I waste my time? Instead of empty speeches, I would shoot birds at this time. Nisa. You'll fall into the bear's clutches again. Huntsman. You are scarier to me than a bear. I know how to recover from it, but you can’t win your heart with a pellet or a bullet. Nisa. You're kidding. Huntsman. So you don't want to love me? Nisa. I can lean towards you, but not as a mistress, but as a bride. Huntsman. What’s better, to be a wife and not love your husband, or to be a mistress and be faithful to your lover? Nisa. To be a wife and not love her husband is torment for both wife and husband, but to be a faithful mistress and then, having lost her lover, leaves shame on the woman’s neck and worse. Will you take me for you? Huntsman. I am ready to marry you five times. Nisa. And change it five times. Huntsman. Many husbands and wives would still be called permanent if they only cheated on each other five times. Nisa. I'm not that built. Huntsman. And I'm not like that either. Nisa. Yes tell me, do you love me? Huntsman. Didn't I tell you this? Nisa. Tell me more. Huntsman. To her! to her! I love. More to say? Nisa. And do you want to marry me? Huntsman. And I want to marry you. Nisa. And will you be faithful to me forever? Huntsman. It’s not like you should take a subscription from me for this. And even if I signed, such a subscription is not a bill of exchange and cannot be protested. Nisa. So it’s clear that you don’t rely on yourself? Huntsman. That’s enough, my dear, it’s just a waste of time to rave, I will always be faithful; Why am I talking to you, my gun hasn’t been cleaned yet. Nisa. Will you be faithful? Huntsman. I am not a fortune teller, so that I can find out what will happen in the future.

End of the second act

ACT THREE

PHENOMENON I

Count and Khavronya.

Sow. For you, my most merciful father, my wormy yacht, Finista the falcon’s feather, I would never stand up for anything; Yes, this is absolutely impossible to do, this slave is my right hand. Graph. I will pay you, madam, five hundred rubles for this girl. Sow. Illustrious, it’s a lot of money to take so much money for a girl, and isn’t it sinful? Graph. I take away this sin of yours. Sow. Be it according to your will, nothing will be denied to you.

The Count kisses her hand.

SCENE II

Count, Khavronya and Vikul.

Vikul. I most humbly thank you, most illustrious one, that you deign to reward me so much for my bread and salt. And you, unfaithful wife, hide yourself somewhere so that not even a mouse can see you. Sow. Are you sane, dad? Here, the high count! Burmitskaya is my pearl! Your Excellency sees how he treats me. Graph. How are you, sir, not afraid of God? Vikul. Your Excellency, yes, the horns planted on me by your high-ranking lordship will not make me a count. Graph. What horns? I don’t even have them in my head. Vikul. Yes, I have them on my head. It’s not enough for my sins! Sow. What rubbish! Yes, you would thank his lordship for such mercies that he, out of his natural love for mankind, kisses her sinful hand from a village woman. Vikul. Yes!.. Do you respond to a kiss? You will not be denied anything from me. Sow. Yes, listen to what it was about. Vikul. I both heard and saw. Leave me for an hour, most illustrious, most noble count, and you, fool, go out.

SCENE III

Vikul (one).

This is what my head has come to!.. My wife, an old woman, but she decided to remove my head in a new manner. Neither my father, nor my grandfather, nor my great-grandfather sewed a horn!.. All their sins ended on me! Oh Khavronya, Khavronya! You cut me off my feet!.. And you, most illustrious one, will be rewarded according to your deeds! Here we are not equal, but in the next world the count, the lord, the baron, and the petty nobleman will be equal. Perhaps a serf, due to the inscrutable fate of being in the next world, is greater than the governor. To answer then that you have sought me, an old man, with such a high Reisgraf mercy!.. Butler!

PHENOMENA IV

Vikul and Dvoretsky.

Vikul. Tell me, what is the penalty for planting a horn according to the law? And in which the board should strike about this with its forehead. Butler. In the county in which the said planting took place, a petition must be submitted to the voivodeship office of that city. Vikul. What kind of production then happens? Butler. Although there have been many such incidents, no information about this has been found: until this year and to this date, no one has asked for such progress. Vikul. Something is starting to happen to me with my wife. Butler. Isn’t it a stately thing! Vikul. You can’t hide an awl in a bag: so, by the condescension of His Excellency. Butler. Who would expect this from this soul, which is in your assistant! Vikul. I would have divorced her, but I had many children and grandchildren with her, and soon there will be great-grandchildren. Yes, and I love her passionately, and although she is already over sixty years old, and when she gets around to it, she will outshine a twenty-year-old woman. Butler. And besides beauty, your health, what a memory she has! Bova, she knows Eruslan inside and out, and she’s such a master at reaping, as you yourself know, and in everyday life: she salts the cabbage herself, and feels the chickens, and feeds the pigs. Vikul. What is there in all her art when she is unfaithful to her husband? Butler. A cup of honey, a fly in the ointment. Vikul. Yes, this little goose is tar. Butler. Your Majesty! You are not the first, you are not the last. Vikul. Yes, I didn’t want that. Butler. Whatever is destined for someone, so be it. Vikul. Yes, this was not written in my nature. Butler. If this had not been written, this would not have happened. Vikul. What do you think, should I bang my head about this or not? Butler. Isn't it better to keep this to yourself? This way you will avoid reproach. But what is done cannot be undone: what is spilled is never complete. Vikul. Yes, the Count will tell everyone. Nowadays everything is done in a new way: before they were loved for the sake of voluptuousness, but now more for the sake of vanity. Butler. The Count is a merciful man and will not do this, being such an honest gentleman. Vikul. I humbly thank him for his honesty. Butler. He only got involved in this when he was young. Vikul. Yes, my old age doesn’t taste good. Butler. We must love our enemies. Vikul. If someone had put horns on you, you would have spoken differently. Butler. Yes, you, boyar sovereign, do not intend to divorce your partner. Vikul. And I would have intended to, but love prevented this. Butler. So why make this matter public? Vikul. And I don’t want to bear the insult. Butler. But you’re not outdoing the count; According to the proverb: do not fight with the strong, and do not argue with the rich. And with such a rich and noble man, where can we compete? Vikul. It’s amazing, isn’t it, my friend: a louse will become more expensive than a casing.

PHENOMENA V

Vikul, Huntsman, Nisa and Butler.

Nisa. I thank you for your merciful separation from your wife and for the merciful maintenance in this house. The lady deigned to give me to the count, and I am marrying this man you see. Vikul. Butler! She'll ruin me completely. Others, for the most part, get by with horns, but I go bankrupt from them. Huntsman. It’s not ruin, Mr. Vikul, when she received five hundred rubles for this girl. Nisa. The Count gave her five hundred rubles for me. Vikul. You should get five hundred lashes. Huntsman. Your Majesty! You won’t be able to withstand such a large amount of blows. Nisa. Why have I angered you? I have served you faithfully. Vikul. It’s obvious from everything that I needed to plant the horns and you helped. But I won’t soon believe it, so that someone would give five hundred rubles for you. Huntsman. The Turkish Sultan would give five thousand chervonnies for her. Vikul. Five hundred rubles is a great deal! Who will pay that kind of money for it? Huntsman. They have already been paid, and your partner has already accepted them. Vikul. Inquire, butler, and report me. Butler. Will you order yourself to be leported in writing or verbally? Vikul. Report verbally; It is better to receive money in words than in writing nothing.

SCENE VI

Vikul and Jaeger.

Vikul. A noble gentleman can take away a girl without money. We twist the dust of the earth before him; It’s better to take the money, since the gentlemen favor it; Otherwise, go back to Moscow, rub around the archives for two years, and give away a hundred rubles. Huntsman. Nowadays it is strictly forbidden to eat this kind of sewing craft. Vikul. A drunk and a crook and the sea is knee-deep. And the pillow of the snitches doesn’t move much: those who, observing their honesty, go around the world and ask for alms for food.

SCENE VII

Vikul, Huntsman and Butler.

Butler. The money, boyar sovereign, is a Russian silver coin that has been accepted in full. Vikul. This is better, but for copper money now both when buying and when exchanging, the interest is very high. It would seem to me that this is a new article of extortion, and it should be reported where it belongs. Butler. Taking interest on silver money and banknotes seems to be different from decrees. And if it comes further, this covetousness will not be praised. Vikul. Whatever you say, my horns never leave my mind. Huntsman. Shame on you! People are about business, and he is about horns: because of this, what you repeat about them, they will not fall off your head. Vikul. They won't fall off.

SCENE VIII

Vikul, Huntsman, Butler and Khavronya.

Sow. He spun a tall tale about me. Vikul. You will be in Gehenna, in Tartarus, in Architartar. Sow. Yes, at least I'm really into what fell lawlessness, so don’t I already have repentance? Vikul. Yes, although you will repent, the horns will not fall off me... Khavronya. Where is my count! Why did he hesitate so much, I won’t wait for him, my light. Vikul. Do you hear, butler? Butler. The ears are withering, dear sir. Vikul. How the sky won't fall on her. Huntsman. Yes, if the sky falls, it will crush us too... What an upstart! So that for the sake of his horn the sky would fall on us.

THE LAST PHENOMENON

Graph. Will you really abandon your suspicion when I clearly show you that I have not even touched your partner with a thought? Vikul. Most Excellent Count! How can you assure me? Graph. I kissed her hand because she gave up Nisa to me. Vikul. I would beat you, sir, ten Nisa for nothing, but I need Khavronya myself. Sow. So kiss me, my handsome man, when you need me! No matter how beautiful the graph is, you are more beautiful to me than him. Vikul. No, Khavronya, no kiss is on my mind now. Graph. Here is my mistress: she is my bride, and this very day she will be my wife. Is your suspicion over? Vikul. Most Excellent and Most Merciful Count, is this really so? Floriza. Truly so, sir: your partner is faithful to you, and the count will marry me today. Vikul. Khavronya, is this so? Sow. That I, my red sun, am faithful, that’s true, but that the Count takes her for himself, that’s what I myself can only now hear. May God grant her happiness! And she deserves it. Butler. Dignified and righteous. Sow. Don’t forget us, most eminent countess! Floriza. I am not yet a countess, but I will never forget your friendship. Vikul. Most Excellent Countess! Don’t leave us if there is any need... Floriza. I'm not a countess yet; but I think that the count is your shortcomings... Count. Feel free to send them to me as if it were your home. Have all abundance from my house, as from your house. I have all my joys. Vikul. Kiss me, Khavronyushka. And whoever remembers the old, look out. (They kiss.)

The end of comedy

Notes

CONVENTIONAL ABBREVIATIONS

Archive repositories

GPB - State Public Library named after. M. E. Saltykova-Shchedrin. Department of Manuscripts (Leningrad) IRLI - Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House) of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Manuscript department (Leningrad)

Printed sources

Berkov -- Berkov P. N. History of Russian comedy of the 18th century. L., 1977 Izbr. -- Sumarokov A.P. Selected works [Introduction. article, preparation of text and notes. P. N. Berkova]. L., 1957 (Poet's Library. Large series. 2nd ed.) Izvestia - Izvestia of the Department of Russian Language and Literature of the Academy of Sciences. T. XII, book. 2. St. Petersburg, 1907 Letters - Letters from Russian writers of the 18th century. L., 1980 PSVS - Complete collection of all the works in verse and prose of the late actual state councilor, Knight of the Order of St. Anne and Leipzig Scientific Assembly member Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov. Part I-X. M., 1781--1782 Collection - Collection of materials for the history of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in the 18th century. [Published by A. A. Kunik]. St. Petersburg, 1865, part II Semennikov - Semennikov V.P. Materials for the history of Russian literature and for the dictionary of writers of the era of Catherine II. St. Petersburg, 1914 Synopsis - Gisel Innocent. Synopsis, or a brief description of the beginning of the Slovenian people, the first Kyiv princes, and the life of the holy, noble and great prince Vladimir... 4th ed. St. Petersburg, 1746 This collection of dramatic works by A.P. Sumarokov is offered to the reader’s attention and includes thirteen plays. The five tragedies, seven comedies and one drama selected for this publication do not exhaust everything that was created by Sumarokov for the stage. The published works are intended to give an idea of ​​his dramatic heritage in the context of the formation of the repertoire of the Russian classical theater of the 18th century. and show the evolution of Sumarokov’s interpretation of dramatic genres at different stages of his creative path. The main selection criteria were the ideological and artistic originality of the plays and their typicality for the Sumarokov dramatic system as a whole. Many of Sumarokov's plays appeared in print even before they were staged or shortly after. Moreover, the playwright constantly strived to improve the text of his plays, bringing them closer to the requirements of the time and the tastes of the audience. In 1768, he radically revised almost all of the dramatic works he had created since 1747 and at the same time published most of them in a corrected form. This second edition of the early plays became canonical, and in this form they were placed by N. I. Novikov in the corresponding (3-6) volumes of the Complete Collection of All Works in Poetry and Prose of the Late Actual State Councilor, Order of St. Anne, prepared by him after the death of the writer Knight and Leipzig Scientific Assembly member Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov" (part. I-X. M., 1781-1782). The second edition (M., 1787) repeated the first. N.I. Novikov printed the texts of plays from manuscripts he received from the playwright’s relatives, as well as from the latest lifetime editions of Sumarokov’s works. Therefore, Novikov’s “Complete collection of all works in verse and prose...” by A.P. Sumarokov remains today the most authoritative and accessible source of texts of the playwright’s works. In preparing this collection, we also relied on this publication. In particular, the texts of all published comedies by Sumarokov, his drama "The Hermit", as well as two tragedies ("Sinav and Truvor" and "Artistona") were taken by us from the corresponding volumes of the named publication. In Soviet times, Sumarokov's dramatic works were republished extremely rarely. Individual plays, often presented in abbreviated form, were included in university “readers on Russian literature of the 18th century.” Essentially, the first scientific publication of this period was the one-volume work prepared by P. N. Berkov: Sumarokov A. P. Selected Works. L., 1957 (Poet's Library. Large series), including three tragedies: "Horev", "Semira" and "Dimitri the Pretender". In the collection “Russian Comedy and Comic Opera of the 18th Century” (L., 1950), P. N. Berkov published the first edition of the comedy “An Empty Quarrel” (“A Quarrel between a Husband and His Wife”). Finally, the collection “Russian Drama of the 18th Century” (Moscow, 1986), recently released by the Sovremennik publishing house, prepared by G. N. Moiseeva and G. A. Andreeva, included the tragedy of A. P. Sumarokov “Dimitri the Pretender”. This exhausts the number of modern editions of Sumarokov’s dramatic works. The proposed book will give the general reader the opportunity to become more deeply and fully acquainted with the dramatic heritage of Sumarokov and the Russian theatrical repertoire of the 18th century. Of particular importance when publishing texts of the 18th century. has to bring them into line with currently existing spelling standards. The system of spelling and punctuation during Sumarokov’s time was quite different from modern requirements. This concerned the most diverse aspects of morphological paradigmatics: the spelling of case endings of nouns, adjectives, participles, demonstrative, possessive and personal pronouns, endings of adverbs and verbs with a reflexive particle -sya (for example: crown - instead of crown, shoulder - shoulders; dragia - dear, local - local, kotorov - which, kovo - whom; praise - more praiseworthy, soon - sooner; zhenitsa - get married, etc. d.). Sound combinations in prefixes, suffixes and roots of individual words were also written differently (for example: zbirayu - instead of collecting, anxiety - anxiety, zgovor - conspiracy, marriage - marriage, grusno - sad, happiness - happiness, better - - better, soldier - soldier, heart - heart, late - late, yupka - skirt, etc.). The writing of the conjunctive particles not, nor, whether, with in combination with a meaningful word also had its own specifics. The norm of written language of the 18th century. separate writing of particles with pronouns and verbs was considered (for example: nichchevo - instead of nothing, is there - if, with everything - at all, not lying - impossible, nor how - in any way, etc.). In most of these cases, the spelling of words was brought into line with modern spelling standards. True, sometimes it seemed expedient to preserve outdated forms of spelling. This point was already pointed out at one time by P. N. Berkov in the above-mentioned publication “Selected Works” by A. P. Sumarokov, regarding the reproduction of the text of tragedies. The specificity of the verse structure of tragedies sometimes dictated the need to preserve outdated orthoepic forms in spelling. This concerned those cases where modernization of spelling could lead to a disruption of verse rhythm or affect the rhyming endings of verses. Here are examples of the preservation of such stylistically justified archaic spelling: “And this calamitous pain of mourning blood...”; or: “You are going against the one you love...”; or: “The silence of the people’s border will be interrupted...”, as well as examples of rhyme pairs: I want - I will convert, anger - delete, love - blood, I will soften - I will return, etc. Sometimes modernizing old spelling norms can lead to a distorted understanding of the author’s thought contained in the phrase, as we see, for example, in the following verse from the tragedy “Horev”: “Open the gates of my dear prison for me,” where the adjective refers to the last word, although in pronunciation it can be perceived as referring to the word “ gate." And there are a sufficient number of such examples in plays. In general, when publishing the texts of tragedies, we were guided by the textual principles adopted in the indicated edition of selected works by A.P. Sumarokov, carried out by P.N. Berkov in 1957. Slightly different principles were adopted when publishing the texts of Sumarokov’s comedies. The specifics of this genre determined the focus on maximally preserving the vernacular element of the language of comic characters. Only this approach makes it possible to convey to the modern reader the flavor of the everyday speech of people of that era. This applies, in particular, to the transmission of certain forms of endings of nouns, adjectives, gerunds, reflecting the old norms of speech practice, such as: two days, bribes, rubles, speeches, saint, having taken out, edakay, having come, etc.; or to preserve the specific sound of individual words, as it was customary in the spoken language of the 18th century, for example: named, doubtful, opposite, shameless, genvarya, frightened, go, want, embrace, etc. We also tried to completely preserve the colloquial vowel foreign words adopted in the 18th century. in Russian, as well as dialectisms such as: clevicorty, intermecia, otleportovat, enaral, proviyant; now, three times, sabe, tabe, pochal, syudy, vit, etc. Words, the meaning of which may be incomprehensible to the modern reader, are included in the “Dictionary of obsolete and foreign words and expressions” attached at the end. We also have to face certain difficulties when covering the stage fate of Sumarokov’s plays. Undoubtedly, Sumarokov's tragedies and comedies were played in the second half of the 18th century. quite widely, entering the repertoire of most Russian troupes of that time. But information about the activities of even the court theater, not to mention the performances of serf theaters and free Russian troupes, is generally fragmentary. Therefore, the surviving data on the productions of Sumarokov’s plays do not guarantee complete knowledge about the stage life of a particular play. We tried to make maximum use of all sources of such information available to modern theater studies. When preparing the publication, in particular when working on the commentaries, the research of other researchers in this area was taken into account: P. N. Berkov, V. N. Vsevolodsky-Gerngross, B. A. Aseev, T. M. Elnitskaya, G. Z. Mordison , to which appropriate references are given in the text of the notes.

CUCKOLDER BY IMAGINATION

For the first time - PSVS (part VI, p. 1-56; 2nd ed. M., 1787, p. 1-52). Composed around 1772. The construction of the plot collision combines the traditions of Voltaire’s comedy “The Tartan Woman” (1760) - the line of Count Kasander and Floriza and the Fonvizin comedy “The Brigadier” (1769) - a couple of landowners. The comedy was part of the repertoire of the Petrovsky Theater of M. E. Meddox in Moscow. It is known that it was staged on the stage of this theater on November 2, 1782. P. 388. You are completely trafficking... - that is, you please well. P. 390. ...they praised some kind of intermecia to me and persuaded me to go there. - We are talking about Sumarokov’s tragedy “Khorev”, the production of which is further described by Khavronya. P. 391. Yes, I wouldn’t exchange you for the prince’s Bova. - See note. to s. 305. P. 406. Burmitsky pearls are large rounded pearls.

Dictionary of obsolete and foreign words and expressions

The plot of a parent abandoning a child, who later takes revenge on him, has been known since ancient times. It may not be told explicitly, but also with free assumptions. Consider the stories where the father is predicted to die at the hands of his son, as a result of which the birth of children is not allowed or the sons must certainly be killed. Sumarokov is not so cruel towards the younger generation; he looks more negatively at the parents who must accept fair punishment. Fathers have always suffered before, and they cannot avoid such a fate in the comedy “The Guardian.”

The narrative proposed by Sumarokov seems confusing. The characters will not fully know who will face what fate. Even the culprits have no idea how close they are to death. It’s all the more interesting to listen to what’s happening on stage. Not to say that Sumarokov raised acute social problems, but he managed to reflect modern realities. And you don’t have to be a particularly talented writer to tell truthfully about what’s happening around you.

The main culprit has a telling name - the Stranger. You have to understand right away that he likes to take what belongs to others and not give it back. There is no need to reveal what exactly he has taken possession of, so as not to distract the viewer or reader from the action taking place before his eyes. Or it makes sense to talk about it, since, knowing about this circumstance, much in the plot will become clear immediately. However, if the author keeps it secret from everyone, including the characters, then let it remain so.

The action of “The Guardian” begins with the servant wanting to leave the master’s house. He has endured a lot before, but he cannot tolerate the theft of property dear to his heart. He is very upset to lose touch with the past, ultimately being left without everything that was his aspirations. In addition, another maid, who is a noblewoman by birth, does not respond to his advances. It is simply unbearable to continue living in such an environment.

Subsequently, it turns out that there was no malicious intent in the theft, the reason was the curiosity of another character who decided to figure out why the servant liked that thing, which, apparently, should not have anything to do with him. So that the servant does not get angry, he is offered another thing of equal value. But he, of course, will refuse, since his human dignity stands above vanity, not allowing him to exchange things that are valuable to his heart for things that are priceless to his heart. It was here that Sumarokov revealed the secret of the stolen item in order to further fill the action with additional details.

The offended servant, in addition to the stolen item, was offered a path to the nobility, starting with a clerk and ending with the rank of registrar, quite a nobleman. Apparently, there is Sumarokov’s sarcasm here, explaining how easy it has become to achieve a court rank without having anything to do with it from birth.

Separately from the main storyline, the behavior of the Stranger is described, who believes that all issues can be resolved with the help of money. Even love can be bought, it is enough to offer the object of love the amount he requires. And how surprised the Stranger is when he receives a refusal. This businessman does not understand the importance of human feelings, which in reality cannot be bought. He is depressed by the need to pray to God, fully accepting and realizing his reality, as well as humbled to experience the torments of hell, since he has sinned enough during his life.

In addition to feelings, you cannot buy one more thing. It's about the law. If you have committed a violation, you will not be able to pay off. Sumarokov was sure of this, so he ensured that his last days were approaching for Chukhezhvat. The court will be harsh and will decide to apply the death penalty. That’s why the comedy turned out to be not at all funny, but rather full of dramatic events.

Additional tags: Sumarokov guardian criticism, analysis, reviews, review, book, Alexander Sumarokov analysis, review, book, content

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A person thinks a lot about himself, taking everything to heart. If someone laughs behind their back, then the reason for the laughter can only be in him. And if someone kisses his wife’s hand, then we should talk about obvious betrayal, which most likely has already happened. And it doesn’t matter if the wife is over sixty. Is there enough agility in her? Twenty-year-old girls were not standing nearby. It is with this kind of imagination that the nobleman Vikul lives, regardless of anything: neither with the time in the yard, nor with a reasonable understanding of what is understood.

Taking over, Vikul does not pay attention to everyday life. Sumarokov did not show a person with strong convictions, presenting an amorphous character endowed with the ability to be jealous. Vikul does not know how to be proud and show no other feelings except doubts about his wife’s fidelity. What was happening could have been shown to the viewer without him, since the thoughts of the owner of the house are not so important, especially since he doesn’t really represent anything.

The main focus is on the impoverished noblewoman Florise and Vikul's wife's servant Nisa. They are of interest to Count Kasander and his huntsman, who live on the neighboring estate, respectively. There is no conflict of interest between them. Everyone understands the choice they face. No one interferes with mutual happiness. Weddings will be played easily, it’s worth announcing it. There is only one misunderstanding that does not affect anything. It's about Vikul's jealousy.

But nothing just happens. Relationships need to be born. It is enough to say about the intention, and the answer is most likely to be positive. Life can make adjustments, it’s worth wishing for the author of the work. If there were five acts in a comedy, then there would be room for something else. For three actions, it is enough to show interest, inform about it and eliminate a number of misunderstandings that have arisen, after which the curtain can be lowered.

Vikul's jealousy adds an additional feature to the events taking place on stage. He does not oppose and does not create intrigue, just expressing concern about what seems strange to him. After all, it’s not without reason that the wife undertook to put things in order at home, prepare festive dishes and look forward to the count’s arrival. In addition, it is known that the wife and the count previously met in Moscow, where they attended a theater performance together. Moreover, my wife talks about the positive impression from that meeting. Such confessions will not calm you down. The wife’s assurances of the firmness of her former love will not help to find balance, as if she would not exchange her husband even for a prince.

By the third act, the viewer completely agrees with the opinion of the butler, who directly tells Vikul about his suspicions: “My ears are withering, my dear sir.” Just think, in his old age the nobleman decided to hit the authorities with his forehead. You never know to what insanity he lived in the pastoral surrounding him. Let the viewer not be sad - all misunderstandings will immediately end, as soon as Count Kasander announces certain intentions, and not regarding Vikul’s wife, but Floriza, to which the owner of the house will not object.

Sumarokov wanted to see a smile of peace on the part of the visitors to the play based on his comedy. A light plot without malicious intent - with the goal of showing the importance of good neighborliness. Seemingly important ones should be taken more leniently. Decisive action will come later, when everything is finally clarified. In any other case, it is better to pretend as if nothing is happening. Just think: they are laughing behind your back, or someone kissed your wife’s hand. There can be a million reasons to explain this. Therefore, it is better to calm the imagination by directing it in another useful direction, such as writing edifying comedies. Sumarokov did just that.

Additional tags: Sumarokov a cuckold in the imagination of a critic, analysis, reviews, review, book, Alexander Sumarokov, analysis, review, book, content

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