The work “The Captain's Daughter” found responses from two literary movements at once: romanticism and realism. The plot of the novel is based on real events: the author describes a historical period - the peasant uprising of Emelyan Pugachev. However, his heroes have features characteristic of romanticism. Even Pugachev himself is a romantic character - lonely, rebellious, but doomed to death in advance and played. In order to better understand the ideological and thematic features of the work, it is necessary to have before your eyes a detailed brief retelling of the chapters from the Much-Wise Litrekon, which sets out all the main events from the book in abbreviation.
Chapter 1. Sergeant of the Guard
The narration comes from the perspective of Pyotr Grinev, the main character of the work. He talks about his family. His father, Andrei Petrovich Grinev, a retired prime minister who married the daughter of a local nobleman, Avdotya Vasilyevna Yu, lives in the Simbirsk village. Peter, their only son, had many brothers and sisters, but they all died in infancy. When my mother first became pregnant with the heir, he was already enrolled in the Semenovsky regiment thanks to his connections. If a girl were born, the father would announce the death of his son, and the reservation in the elite troops would be canceled. But then Peter was born, and the protection of a relative was needed, but for now he was raised at home until he was 16 years old.
The boy was under the supervision of Savelich, a serf peasant who was granted “uncle” to the master’s son for his sober behavior. But then his father appointed a French tutor for him to teach him all the sciences. However, Beaupre turned out to be a walking drunkard, incapable of teaching. While he was sleeping off after a crazy night, Peter went about his business: that was the extent of his education. One day, the father, having received a complaint from the courtyard girls (the Frenchman had seduced them), burst in right in the middle of the lesson and found the tutor dead drunk, and his son doing a strange activity: he was making a kite out of a card. Then the nobleman kicked out Beaupre, which pleased Savelich, who did not like the foreign teacher.
Petrusha grew up underage: he played leapfrog and chased pigeons, until the father inquired about his son’s age: he was 17 years old, which means it was time to send the child to serve. The mother burst into tears when she learned of her husband’s decision, but he was firm in his convictions and did not give in to sentimentality. Moreover, instead of the Semenovsky regiment, which his son dreamed of so much (in his mind, service in St. Petersburg was the road to freedom), he decided to send him to real service in Orenburg, together with Savelich. The father decided that the ignoramus should “smell gunpowder”, and in the capital they would only spoil him, making him a spendthrift and a drunkard. Peter was very upset, all his hopes collapsed, but he could not argue with his father. The next day they put a sheepskin coat and a fur coat on him and sent him on his way. He shed tears. His father gave him this instruction:
Serve faithfully to whom you pledge allegiance; obey your superiors; Don’t chase their affection; don’t ask for service; do not dissuade yourself from serving; and remember the proverb: take care of your dress again, but take care of your honor from a young age.
On the way to Orenburg they stopped in Simbirsk, and Savelich went to buy things. Grinev, who remained in the tavern, met captain Zurin, who treated the young man, taught him to play billiards and offered him a game for money. According to him, military service consisted of gambling, drunkenness and extravagance. Petrusha, inflamed by the punch, lost a hundred roubles, and he, drunk and unable to stand, was taken to Savelich. The next morning, Peter received a note asking him to give the money. Savelich refused. Grinev realized that he needed to argue with the old man so as not to depend on him in the future. He rudely reminded the servant that he was just a serf and must obey the master, otherwise he would be thrown out of service. The old man became upset and began to beg him not to do this, but Peter was inexorable. Savelich gave a hundred rubles and hurried to take his ward away from the tavern. Grinev was terribly ashamed of his rudeness.
Summary by chapter
The plot of the story is based on a historical event dating from 1773-1775. The prototype of Pyotr Grinev, a valiant man ready to save the lives of others, was the personality of Ivan Vasilyevich Basharin. He was an officer commanding the Tobolsk garrison. During one of the attacks he was captured. Died in 1774.
A summary of the story in chapters is just a brief introduction to the work of Alexander Sergeevich. In order to fully understand what is said in the work and reveal the character of the characters, it is recommended to read the work in the original.
Chapter 1. Sergeant of the Guard
The story begins from the perspective of the narrator - Pyotr Grinev himself. He talks about his family: his mother was the daughter of an impoverished nobleman. His father and mother enrolled him in the Semenovsky regiment even before birth.
At first, Grinev was taught by Arkhip, but then his father hired a Frenchman as a teacher. Monsieur Beaupré was a drunkard, so he could not give his child a normal education. He was soon kicked out.
When Peter turned 16, he was already dreaming of a happy life in St. Petersburg. However, the father, not wanting the capital’s entertainment to corrupt his son, decided to send him to Orenburg, “Take care of your honor from a young age, and put your dress back together.”
His servant and teacher, Savelich, went on the road with Pyotr Grinev. On the way to the place of duty, the company stops at the Inn, where Petrusha meets Zurin.
Chapter 2. Counselor
On the way to the fortress, the driver got lost in a snowstorm. A wanderer suggested the way to Grinev. In return, Peter thanked him with a hare sheepskin coat.
Having made sure that the road to the Orenburg province is going well, Grinev falls asleep and has a terrible dream. In a dream, he comes home and sees his mother crying. She takes him to his father’s bedroom, where a strange man was lying. Peter refuses to kiss his hand, so he jumps out of bed and starts swinging an ax.
Peter wakes up just before entering the province. In Orenburg, he gives a letter from his father to his colleague. He sent him to the Belogorodskaya fortress.
Chapter 3. Fortress
Grinev’s idea of the fortress collapses as soon as he approaches it. He thought that the place of service would literally be a “fortress”, surrounded by walls and a ditch around, with a stern commandant. In fact, everything looked completely different: a small wooden village, where there were elderly or guilty officers.
Petrusha met the commandant and his wife. Then with Shvabrin, who was famous for his “evil” tongue and for spreading rumors about the inhabitants of the fortress. He also spoke ill of Mashenka, the daughter of Captain Mironov, calling her a fool. A little later, Peter was able to form his own opinion about Mary, completely opposite to Shvabrin’s opinion.
Chapter 4. Duel
Grinev began to get closer and closer to Mashenka and her family. Since the Mironovs did not have a dowry, no one married their only daughter. Over time, Peter Grinev liked the girl more and more: he dedicated poems to her, constantly thought about her. Their relationship with Shvabrin did not become worse, but they moved away. Alexey allowed himself to make offensive comments towards the Mironov family, which offended the lover Grinev. It came to a duel, which, fortunately, never took place.
The next morning, Shvabrin and Grinev decided to pretend that relations between them had improved, but in reality they simply suffered a skirmish. The alarmed Maria immediately came to Petrusha. It was she who told him that Shvabrin was talking about resentment, anger and jealousy, since earlier he himself had wooed Maria, but was rejected. After these words, Grinev wanted to take revenge on Alexey even more.
In the duel, Peter, who had never participated in such fights, showed himself with dignity. Monsieur Beaupre, despite periodic drinking, taught the boy fencing. However, at an important moment in the duel, Arkhip appeared, which distracted Peter and resulted in his injury.
Chapter 5. Love
A few days after the fight, Grinev comes to his senses. Maria Mironova reciprocates the young man's feelings. Everything is going very well for Petrusha: Shvabrin apologizes for the injury, and his beloved is ready to marry him. For marriage, only the consent of Alexei Petrovich is required.
News came from home: the father scolded Peter for such a rash act (a duel), and also talked about the need to transfer his son to another place. The father's angry letter upset not only Peter, but also Masha. She did not agree to get married without receiving the blessing of Grinev’s parents. Relations between the young become colder, but only for a while. The younger Grinev understands: he cannot and does not want to live without the captain’s daughter.
Chapter 6. Pugachevism
At this stage, the second meeting between Pugachev and Pyotr Grinev takes place, but here everything turns out unfavorably for the young officer. The rebel, together with his associates, is approaching the Belogorodskaya fortress. Captain Mironov wants to save his daughter, so he and his wife dress her up as a poor peasant girl and hide her.
Chapter 7. Attack
At this time, Pugachev arrives with his Cossacks, who are looking for those who want to voluntarily join the rebels. Such a volunteer turns out to be Shvabrin and other residents of the Belogorod fortress. He advises Emelyan not to ask, but to immediately execute Grinev, Mironov and Savelich. Fortunately, Arkhip remembers the hare sheepskin coat on Pugachev and reminds him of it. Pyotr Grinev manages to escape the gallows. During the robbery, the Cossacks kill Vasilisa Egorovna.
Pugachev in the Belogorodskaya fortress
Chapter 8. Uninvited Guest
The captain's daughter was unable to get out of the encirclement. Popadya hid her, but Grinev is still worried about the safety of his beloved. Unable to find a place for himself, Peter decides to visit the priest’s house, where Mary stayed for a while.
There he discovers Pugachev and his company. The main character is worried that this meeting may be the last, but Pugachev, on the contrary, helps Grinev. Arkhip and Peter receive permission to travel to Orenburg.
Chapter 9. Separation
After the main character has received permission to leave, Arkhip begins to pack his things. He constantly lamented about the looted property that previously belonged to the Grinevs.
Pugachev threatened that Savelich himself might soon suffer. He ordered Grineva and Arkhip to go to Orenburg, and a week later he reported that the Belogorod Fortress had come under attack by Pugachev.
Chapter 10. Siege of the city
At the same time, Pugachev and his gang move forward. Shvabrin remains the commandant of the fortress. Maria sits within the same walls. Now Pyotr Grinev is looking for ways to rescue his beloved and punish the villain.
Soon an enemy detachment is approaching Orenburg. At the general meeting, only Pyotr Grinev, seeing how the enemy detachment acts, votes for the attack. Others voted for defense.
Besieged Orenburg and its inhabitants needed food and clean water. Pyotr Grinev received a letter from his beloved. She wrote that she wanted to escape from the Belogorodskaya fortress, fearing that Shvabrin would forcibly take her as his wife.
Then Pyotr Grinev decides to go to the general commander of the defense of Orenburg and ask him for soldiers to free his beloved, but is refused. The brave hero decides to save Masha alone.
Chapter 11. Rebel settlement
On the way to the Belogorodskaya fortress, Savelich and Peter are caught by robbers to take them to Pugachev. Peter tells the chief ataman that the commandant of the Belogorodsk fortress is forcing the orphan Maria Mironova to marry him.
Chapter 12. Orphan
Pyotr Grinev continues on his way with Pugachev, they arrive at the Belogorodskaya fortress and sees how Shvabrin offends the girl and starves her to death. Pugachev orders the release of poor orphan Maria Mironova.
Shvabrin immediately reports that this girl is the daughter of a former commandant who refused to swear allegiance to Pugachev. But even this time, Peter manages to achieve a good attitude with his kind-heartedness. Pugachev releases the girl and the young man.
Pugachev and Grinev with the rescued captain's daughter
Chapter 13. Arrest
After Pugachev frees the poor girl, he gives Peter a pass to all outposts. The young lovers go to the Grinevs’ house, but along the way they are arrested. After a short conversation, the head of the outpost convinces the main character to remain in the service. The young man sends Arkhip and Mashenka to their parents, but he stays behind.
During the fighting, the robber detachments were defeated, but the chieftain was not caught. There were rumors that he was in Siberia. Grinev, together with Zurin’s detachment, sets off to suppress the uprisings. After some time, news comes that the instigator of the Peasant War has been caught.
Chapter 14. Court
In the final chapter, Shvabrin appears again. He denounced Peter, lying that he was a traitor. Grinev Jr. is arrested.
Maria Mironova is also being persecuted. Given the status of the elder Grinev, Peter is sentenced to exile instead of execution.
Maria comes to the empress and asks to meet with her. Thanks to the girl, Peter was released. Pugachev was sentenced to execution. Standing on the scaffold, the chieftain saw Grinev in the crowd and nodded to him.
Missing chapter
The missing chapter is an excerpt from the work “The Captain’s Daughter,” which was originally supposed to be at the end of chapter 13, but for a number of reasons Alexander Sergeevich did not include it in the final version. Chapter summary:
“Grinev missed his family and decided to go to his native village. He learned from the locals that people had sided with Pugachev, and his parents and Mashenka were locked in a barn.
Pyotr Grinev ordered the barn to be opened. When he entered, the rioters closed the door. The next day, Savelich, who was passing by, heard a noise from the barn. Peter ordered him to go to the rescue and ask Zurin for help so that he would send a detachment.
At this time, Shvabrin is trying to lure the nobles out of the barn in order to deal with them outside. Then Peter's father opened the door from the inside and shot at the former officer. He, in turn, ordered the building to be set on fire so that the family would leave.
When Grinev and his family began to run out of the burning barn, the peasants grabbed them, but at that time Zurin’s detachment managed to approach. The family was saved, and Shvabrin was sent under escort to Kazan. Andrei Petrovich Grinev generously forgave the peasants.”
Chapter 2. Counselor
On the way, Peter looked for the right words to apologize. Finally, he asked the servant to forgive him and promised that he would not spend any more money without the servant's knowledge. Savelich blamed himself for everything (after all, he went to his godfather and left Peter alone for a long time) and the tutor Beaupre, who taught the master to drink. The insult was forgotten, but the servant grumbled for a long time about the money spent.
On the way to Orenburg, the heroes were overtaken by a strong snowstorm, because Peter hoped at chance and ordered the coachman to go, despite the approaching snowstorm. They could have died, but they were lucky: the man they met knew the area well and agreed to accompany them to their overnight stay. The subtlety of the stranger’s instincts amazed Peter: he realized that the house was nearby, smelling smoke when the wind blew from that direction.
On the way, Peter dozed off and had a prophetic dream: he came to his parents’ house to say goodbye to his dying father, but a completely different person was lying in bed. Grinev is told to kiss his hand and ask for a blessing. In response to Peter’s refusal, the man began to kill everyone with an ax, affectionately calling the young man to him. Waking up, Peter discovered that they had arrived at an inn. Having invited the counselor to tea, he heard a strange conversation between the owner of the yard and the traveler: both of them spoke in proverbs so that they could not be understood by outsiders. The yard was clearly a haven for robbers. Savelich tensed, but there was nothing to do: the road was covered with snow. Everyone fell asleep.
The next morning, in gratitude for the service, Peter gave the counselor his rabbit sheepskin coat, because he was dressed too lightly. He wanted to give money, but remembered his promise and turned around, giving away part of the wardrobe. The counselor thanked him and disappeared.
Arriving in Orenburg, Grinev was assigned to the Belogorsk fortress in the team of Captain Mironov. He complained that he was in the wilderness, where all his titles and connections would be useless.
Essays
Continuing our acquaintance with the work The Captain's Daughter, we follow the development of events and the life of the main character. This time our acquaintance includes the study of the fifth chapter, which is called Love. We will look at the summary of the fifth chapter today in order to make a detailed analysis.
Chapter 5. Love
Chapter five describes the events that occurred after the duel. Grinev woke up in an unfamiliar room, he felt weak. He saw Savelich and his memory began to return. Petya remembered the duel and his wound, then the door creaked and someone entered the room. From his voice, Grinev realized that it was Marya Ivanovna, who was interested in his health, because no matter how, he had been unconscious in bed for the fifth day. And now our hero came to his senses and even managed to answer several questions about his condition.
As it turned out, Peter was in the commandant’s room and Marya was looking after him all this time. And then Grinev falls asleep, and when he wakes up, he sees Marya and feels the indescribable feelings that arose even from her voice. He calls her to marry, but the girl says that Petya needs to be careful, since the wound is fresh and may open. This answer completely satisfied him, because the girl did not refuse, which means she will be his. He's sure of it.
Since that time, our hero has been recovering, and the commandant’s family continues to care for the wounded. One day Petya and Masha started a conversation, where Grinev again declared his love, and Masha was not against it, and even said that her parents would only be happy about her happiness. But what will Petya’s parents say? Petya had no doubts about his mother, but doubts arose about his father’s support, so he decides to write a letter home, asking for his parent’s blessing.
When Grinev recovered, he made peace with Shvabrin. From Ivan Kuzmich, Peter learns that Shvabrin is on guard, but Petya was in a great mood and he began to ask the commandant for Shvabrin, and he lets the man go. Grinev did not hold a grudge against the person who wounded him, and Shvabrin himself expressed regret about what happened.
Grinev finally recovered and moved into his apartment. He is impatiently waiting for an answer from home and finally the long-awaited letter has arrived. It was strange that it was not his mother who wrote, but his father. Having opened the letter, Grinev realizes that everything is not as he dreamed. The father is against the wedding and does not give his blessing. He writes that he will come to reprimand his son personally, and Andrei Karlych plans to ask him to transfer him to an even greater wilderness. The letter stated how upset they were by the duel and that the mother fell ill after learning about the wound.
The letter caused indignation in the young man. The father not only wrote an angry letter, he spoke disparagingly about Marya. Peter began to blame Savelich for espionage, because only he could tell his father about the duel, but as it turned out, someone else reported the injury. In another letter, Peter's father accuses Savelich of not fulfilling his duties, so he is going to make him a swineherd. Grinev thought about who could have reported the duel and suspicions fell on Shvabrin.
Peter goes to Marya and shows the letter. The girl is upset. She says that this is fate and wishes Peter happiness. She herself accepts her misfortune and does not see another betrothed next to her. Petya offers to get married only with the consent of her parents, but the girl does not agree. It is important for her that Petya’s parents approve of their marriage. Marya leaves, and Grinev thinks about the future, until Savelich interrupts his thoughts. He showed a letter that he wrote in response to Grinev’s father. There he explains that their son has already recovered. Well, the fact that he was wounded is like any horse will stumble once in its life.
Next we learn that circumstances have changed. Peter almost never sees the girl, since she avoids meeting. Now Grinev sees the commandant only on duty, he doesn’t go to their house, and Petya tries not to meet with Shvabrin. When they have to cross paths, our hero sees the obvious hostility that Shvabrin tried to hide. In general, Grinev’s guesses were confirmed.
Grinev's life became unbearable. Despite everything, his love for Marya did not fade away, but rather flared up. He thought that he would soon go crazy, and maybe that would have happened, but the incident influenced all further events, bringing good hopes to his soul. This concludes the brief retelling of the fifth chapter of the story The Captain's Daughter.
The captain's daughter: analysis of chapter 5
Having studied the plot of the fifth part, we can analyze it, talking about the character traits that manifested themselves in the heroes, talk about Shvabrin and his rotten nature.
From the text we see that the duel only contributed to the emergence of strong feelings between the main characters. In addition, we see how selfless Masha can be, caring for the wounded. I am glad that the heroes are not afraid of their feelings and admit them. It’s only a pity that Grinev’s parents could not support their son in his happiness, but Masha sees the will of God in everything and accepts the refusal of blessing. But Petya protests in his heart against his father’s decision. He came to a state that could lead him either to madness or to debauchery. But this did not happen thanks to subsequent events.
What can I say about Shvabrin? We saw his rotten nature back in the fourth part of the story, during the duel. All this was fully manifested in the fifth part. He is far from decent, he has neither honor nor conscience. He lies to Grinev's parents, thereby driving Peter's mother to illness. This became the reason for Peter’s father to oppose the relationship between his son and Masha.
The last phrase that ends the fifth part of The Captain's Daughter attracts attention. Grinev says that all these events gave his soul a good shock. If we consider that the entire work is the memoirs of the protagonist, then he already knows further events and how dangerous they were. Despite this, they were a shock, but a good one. After all, they allowed not only to reunite with Marya, but also gave Peter the opportunity to turn into a real man, a soldier and just a person with a capital P. But just recently it was an ordinary undergrowth.
Save it to your wall so you don’t lose it!
Chapter 3. Fortress
The Belogorsk fortress resembled a village surrounded by a simple log fence. Peter was very surprised that these hay-covered houses and crooked streets were a fortress.
There Grinev met Vasilisa Egorovna, the wife of the commandant. The woman received him like a family, introduced herself as the mistress of the fortress, without being embarrassed at all and without interrupting her occupation - unraveling the threads. Some military man helped her there. She urged the guest not to be upset about being transferred to such a backwater. Another young nobleman, Alexey Shvabrin, spent his five-year sentence here (he was transferred because he killed a man in a duel). The two of them won’t be bored, the compassionate housewife thought. She called the police officer and ordered Peter to find housing. He got half of the upper room in a hut on the outskirts. Upset at the sight of the vast and empty steppe, Peter lay down without having dinner.
The next day, Shvabrin came to him without ceremony to meet him. He was a man with an ugly but lively face and short stature. He was intelligent and sarcastic, and described the commandant’s family and entourage extremely funny. They went to dine with him together.
The commandant, “a cheerful and tall old man, wearing a cap and a Chinese robe,” met them and led them to his wife. She called her daughter Marya. The author described it this way:
Then a girl of about eighteen entered, chubby, ruddy, with light brown hair, combed smoothly behind her ears, which were on fire. At first glance I didn't really like her. I looked at her with prejudice: Shvabrin described Masha, the captain’s daughter, to me as a complete fool.
We sat down to dinner. The commandant's wife familiarly remarked to him that he was in vain teaching the soldiers, because he himself did not understand anything about the service. Having heard about Grinev’s condition (300 souls), she said that her daughter was without a dowry and was unlikely to get married. Marya began to cry, and Peter felt sorry for her. Grinev decided to change the topic and asked if they were not afraid of an attack on the fortress, to which Vasilisa Egorovna replied that she would not budge if she saw the villains. However, Marya, unlike her, is a “coward” and is afraid of shots like fire.
Peter and Alexey soon left and spent the whole evening together.
Captain's daughter
Application. Missing chapter
This chapter was not included in the final edition of “The Captain’s Daughter” and was preserved in the draft manuscript, where it is called “The Omitted Chapter.”
In the text of this chapter, Grinev is called Bulanin, and Zurin is called Grinev. We were approaching the banks of the Volga; Our regiment entered the village ** and stopped there to spend the night. The headman announced to me that on the other side all the villages had rebelled, Pugachev’s gangs were roaming everywhere. This news greatly alarmed me. We were supposed to cross the next morning. Impatience took over me. My father’s village was located thirty miles on the other side of the river. I asked if a carrier could be found. All the peasants were fishermen; there were a lot of boats. I came to Grinev and announced to him my intention. “Be careful,” he told me. “It’s dangerous to travel alone.” Wait until morning. We will cross first and bring 50 hussars to visit your parents, just in case.”
I insisted. The boat was ready. I got into it with two oarsmen. They set sail and struck the oars.
The sky was clear. The moon was shining. The weather was calm - the Volga rushed smoothly and calmly. The boat, rocking smoothly, quickly glided over the dark waves. I was lost in the dreams of my imagination. About half an hour passed. We had already reached the middle of the river... suddenly the rowers began to whisper among themselves. "What's happened?" - I asked, waking up. “We don’t know, God knows,” answered the rowers, looking in one direction. My eyes took the same direction, and in the dusk I saw something floating down the Volga. An unfamiliar object was approaching. I told the rowers to stop and wait for him. The moon went behind the cloud. The floating ghost became even more obscure. He was already close to me, and I still couldn’t tell the difference. “What would it be,” said the rowers. “A sail is not a sail, masts are not masts...” Suddenly the moon came out from behind a cloud and illuminated a terrible sight. A gallows mounted on a raft floated towards us, three bodies hung on the crossbar. Morbid curiosity took possession of me. I wanted to look at the faces of the hanged men.
At my order, the rowers hooked the raft with a hook, and my boat pushed against the floating gallows. I jumped out and found myself between the terrible pillars. The bright moon illuminated the disfigured faces of the unfortunate people. One of them was an old Chuvash, the other a Russian peasant, a strong and healthy guy of about 20 years old. But, looking at the third, I was greatly amazed and could not resist a pitiful exclamation: it was Vanka, my poor Vanka, who, out of his stupidity, pestered Pugachev. Above them was nailed a black board, on which was written in large white letters: “Thieves and rebels.” The rowers looked indifferent and waited for me, holding the raft with a hook. I got back into the boat. The raft floated down the river. The gallows remained black for a long time in the darkness. Finally she disappeared, and my boat moored to a high and steep bank...
I paid the rowers generously. One of them led me to the village electorate, located near the transport. I entered the hut with him. The chosen one, hearing that I demanded horses, received me rather rudely, but my leader quietly said a few words to him, and his severity immediately turned into hasty helpfulness. In one minute the troika was ready, I got into the cart and ordered myself to be taken to our village.
I rode along the high road, past sleeping villages. I was afraid of one thing: being stopped on the road. If my night meeting on the Volga proved the presence of rebels, then it was also proof of the strong opposition of the government. Just in case, I had in my pocket the pass given to me by Pugachev, and the order of Colonel Grinev. But no one met me, and by morning I saw a river and a spruce grove, behind which our village was located. The driver hit the horses, and a quarter of an hour later I drove into **.
The manor's house was located at the other end of the village. The horses raced at full speed. Suddenly, in the middle of the street, the coachman began to hold them back. "What's happened?" - I asked impatiently. “Outpost, master,” answered the coachman, with difficulty stopping his furious horses. In fact, I saw a slingshot and a guard with a club. A man came up to me and took off his hat, asking for my passport. "What does it mean? - I asked him, - why is there a slingshot here? Who are you guarding?" “Yes, father, we are rebelling,” he answered, scratching himself.
-Where are your gentlemen? - I asked with a sinking heart...
- Where are our gentlemen? - the man repeated. - Our gentlemen are in the bread barn.
- How is it in the barn?
- Yes, Andryukha, the zemstvo, put them in stocks and wants to take them to the father-sovereign.
- My God! Turn away, fool, the slingshot. Why are you yawning?
The guard hesitated. I jumped out of the cart, hit him (guilty) in the ear and pushed the slingshot away myself. My man looked at me with stupid bewilderment. I got into the cart again and ordered to gallop to the manor’s house. The bread barn was located in the yard. Two men also stood at the locked doors with clubs. The cart stopped right in front of them. I jumped out and ran straight at them. “Open the doors!” - I told them. My appearance was probably terrible. At least both ran away, throwing their clubs. I tried to knock down the lock and break down the doors, but the doors were oak, and the huge castle was indestructible. At that moment, a stately young man came out of the people's hut and, with an arrogant look, asked me how dare I get rowdy. “Where is Andryushka Zemsky,” I shouted to him. “Call him to me.”
“I am Andrei Afanasyevich myself, not Andryushka,” he answered me, proudly akimbo. - What do you need?
Instead of answering, I grabbed him by the collar and, dragging him to the barn doors, ordered them to be unlocked. Zemsky was stubborn, but his father’s punishment also had an effect on him. He took out the key and unlocked the barn. I rushed over the threshold and in a dark corner, dimly lit by a narrow hole cut in the ceiling, I saw my mother and father. Their hands were tied and their feet were in stocks. I rushed to hug them and could not utter a word. Both looked at me in amazement - three years of military life had changed me so much that they could not recognize me. Mother gasped and burst into tears.
Suddenly I heard a sweet, familiar voice. “Peter Andreich! It is you!" I was dumbfounded... I looked around and saw Marya Ivanovna in another corner, also tied up.
My father looked at me silently, not daring to believe himself. Joy shone on his face. I hastened to cut the knots of their ropes with my saber.
“Hello, hello, Petrusha,” my father said to me, pressing me to his heart, “thank God we’ve waited for you...
“Petrusha, my friend,” said mother. - How God brought you! Are you healthy?
I was in a hurry to get them out of prison, but when I approached the door, I found it locked again. “Andryushka,” I shouted, “unlock it!” “How wrong,” the zemstvo answered from behind the door. - Just sit here yourself. Now we’ll teach you how to brawl and drag the sovereign’s officials by the collar!”
I began to look around the barn, looking to see if there was any way to get out.
“Don’t bother,” the priest told me, “I’m not the kind of owner that you can enter and exit my barns through thieves’ loopholes.”
Mother, delighted for a moment by my appearance, fell into despair, seeing that I had to share the death of the whole family. But I was calmer since I was with them and with Marya Ivanovna. I had a saber and two pistols with me; I could still withstand the siege. Grinev was supposed to arrive in the evening and free us. I told all this to my parents and managed to calm my mother down. They completely indulged in the joy of their date.
“Well, Peter,” my father said to me, “you’ve been pretty naughty, and I was pretty angry with you.” But there is no point in remembering the old things. I hope that now you have reformed and are no longer mad. I know that you served as an honest officer should. Thank you. He consoled me, an old man. If I am indebted to you for deliverance, then life will be twice as pleasant for me.
I kissed his hand with tears and looked at Marya Ivanovna, who was so delighted by my presence that she seemed completely happy and calm.
Around noon we heard an extraordinary noise and screams. “What does this mean,” said the father, “wasn’t it your colonel who arrived in time?” “Impossible,” I answered. “He won’t be there until evening.” The noise multiplied. They sounded the alarm. People on horseback were galloping around the yard; at that moment Savelich’s gray head poked through a narrow hole cut in the wall, and my poor uncle said in a plaintive voice: “Andrei Petrovich, Avdotya Vasilievna, my father, Pyotr Andreich, mother Marya Ivanovna, trouble! the villains entered the village. And do you know, Pyotr Andreich, who brought them? Shvabrin, Alexey Ivanovich, it’s hard to beat him!” Hearing the hated name, Marya Ivanovna clasped her hands and remained motionless.
“Listen,” I said to Savelich, “send someone on horseback to the * transport, towards the hussar regiment; and told us to let the colonel know about our danger.
- Who should I send, sir? All the boys are rioting, and the horses are all captured! Wow! Now it's time to get to the hangar.
At this time, several voices were heard outside the door. I silently signaled to Mother and Marya Ivanovna to retire to a corner, drew my saber and leaned against the wall right next to the door. Father took the pistols and cocked them both and stood next to me. The lock rattled, the door opened, and the Zemstvo’s head appeared. I hit it with my saber, and he fell, blocking the entrance. At that same moment the priest shot at the door with a pistol. The crowd that had besieged us ran away cursing. I dragged the wounded man over the threshold and locked the door with an internal hinge. The yard was full of armed people. I recognized Shvabrin among them.
“Don’t be afraid,” I told the women. - There is hope. And you, father, don’t shoot anymore. Let's save the last charge.
Mother silently prayed to God; Marya Ivanovna stood next to her, awaiting the decision of our fate with angelic calm. Threats, abuse and curses were heard outside the doors. I stood in my place, preparing to chop up the first daredevil. Suddenly the villains fell silent. I heard Shvabrin's voice calling me by name.
- I'm here, what do you want?
- Surrender, Bulanin, there is no point in resisting. Have pity on your old people. You can't save yourself by being stubborn. I'll get to you!
- Try it, traitor!
“I won’t bother myself or waste my people.” I’ll order you to set the barn on fire and then we’ll see what you do, Don Quishott Belogorsky. Now it's time for lunch. For now, sit and think at your leisure. Goodbye, Marya Ivanovna, I don’t apologize to you: you’re probably not bored in the dark with your knight.
Shvabrin left and left a guard at the barn. We were silent. Each of us thought to himself, not daring to communicate his thoughts to the other. I imagined everything that the embittered Shvabrin was able to do. I hardly cared about myself. Should I confess? And the fate of my parents did not terrify me as much as the fate of Marya Ivanovna. I knew that mother was adored by the peasants and courtyard people; father, despite his severity, was also loved, because he was fair and knew the true needs of the people under his control. Their rebellion was a delusion, instant drunkenness, and not an expression of their indignation. Here mercy was likely. But Marya Ivanovna? What fate did the depraved and unscrupulous man have in store for her? I did not dare dwell on this terrible thought and was preparing, God forgive me, to kill it rather than see it again in the hands of a cruel enemy.
About another hour passed. The songs of drunkards were heard in the village. Our guards were jealous of them and, annoyed with us, cursed and threatened us with torture and death. We expected the consequences of Shvabrin's threats. Finally there was a big movement in the yard, and we again heard Shvabrin’s voice.
- What, have you changed your mind? Will you voluntarily surrender yourself into my hands?
Nobody answered him. After waiting a little, Shvabrin ordered straw to be brought. A few minutes later, a fire broke out and illuminated the dark barn, and smoke began to emerge from under the cracks of the threshold. Then Marya Ivanovna came up to me and quietly, taking me by the hand, said:
- That's enough, Pyotr Andreich! Don’t ruin yourself and your parents for me. Let me out. Shvabrin will listen to me.
“No way,” I shouted with my heart. - Do you know what awaits you?
“I won’t survive dishonor,” she answered calmly. “But maybe I will save my savior and family, who so generously looked upon my poor orphanhood.” Goodbye, Andrey Petrovich. Goodbye, Avdotya Vasilievna. You were more than benefactors to me. Bless me. Forgive me too, Pyotr Andreich. Rest assured that... that... - here she began to cry... and covered her face with her hands... I was like crazy. Mother was crying.
“That’s enough of a lie, Marya Ivanovna,” said my father. - Who will let you go alone to the robbers? Sit here and be silent. To die, then to die together. Listen, what else are they saying?
-Are you giving up? - Shvabrin shouted. - Do you see? in five minutes you will be fried.
- We won’t give up, villain! - the priest answered him in a firm voice.
His face, covered with wrinkles, was animated with amazing vigor, his eyes sparkled menacingly from under his gray eyebrows. And turning to me he said:
- Now it's time!
He unlocked the doors. The fire burst in and climbed up the logs, caulked with dry moss. The priest fired his pistol and stepped over the flaming threshold, shouting: “Everyone is behind me.” I grabbed mother and Marya Ivanovna by the hand and quickly led them out into the air. Shvabrin lay at the threshold, shot through by the decrepit hand of my father; the crowd of robbers, fleeing from our unexpected attack, immediately took courage and began to surround us. I managed to land a few more blows, but a well-thrown brick hit me right in the chest. I fell and lost consciousness for a minute. Having come to my senses, I saw Shvabrin sitting on the bloody grass, and our whole family was in front of him. They supported me by the arms. A crowd of peasants, Cossacks and Bashkirs surrounded us. Shvabrin was terribly pale. With one hand he pressed his wounded side. His face depicted torment and anger. He slowly raised his head, looked at me and said in a weak and indistinct voice:
- Hang him... and everyone... except her...
Immediately a crowd of villains surrounded us and dragged us to the gate, screaming. But suddenly they left us and fled; Grinev rode through the gate, followed by a whole squadron with drawn sabers.
The rioters fled in all directions; The hussars pursued them, cut them down and captured them. Grinev jumped off his horse, bowed to his father and mother, and firmly shook my hand. “By the way, I arrived in time,” he told us. - A! here is your bride.” Marya Ivanovna blushed head over heels. Father came up to him and thanked him with a calm, although touched, look. Mother hugged him, calling him a deliverer angel. “You are welcome to us,” the priest told him and led him to our house.
Passing by Shvabrin, Grinev stopped. "Who is this?" - he asked, looking at the wounded man. “This is the leader himself, the head of the gang,” my father answered with some pride that denounced the old warrior, “God helped my decrepit hand to punish the young villain and take revenge on him for the blood of my son.”
“This is Shvabrin,” I said to Grinev.
- Shvabrin! I am glad. Hussars! Take it! Yes, tell our doctor to bandage his wound and take care of him like the apple of his eye. Shvabrin must definitely be presented to the secret Kazan commission. He is one of the main criminals, and his testimony should be important.
Shvabrin opened a languid gaze. His face showed nothing but physical agony. The hussars carried him on a cloak.
We entered the rooms. I looked around me in awe, remembering my childhood years. Nothing in the house had changed, everything was in the same place. Shvabrin did not allow it to be plundered, retaining in his very humiliation an involuntary disgust from dishonest greed. The servants appeared in the hall. They did not participate in the rebellion and rejoiced at our deliverance from the bottom of their hearts. Savelich was triumphant. You need to know that during the alarm caused by the attack of the robbers, he ran to the stable where Shvabrina’s horse stood, saddled it, led it out quietly and, thanks to the commotion, galloped unnoticed to the carriage. He met a regiment already resting on this side of the Volga. Grinev, having learned from him about our danger, ordered us to sit down, ordered a march, a march at a gallop - and, thank God, he galloped up on time.
Grinev insisted that the head of the zemstvo be displayed on a pole near the tavern for several hours.
The hussars returned from the chase, capturing several people. They were locked in the same barn in which we withstood the memorable siege.
We each went to our own rooms. The old people needed rest. Having not slept the whole night, I threw myself on the bed and fell fast asleep. Grinev went to make his orders.
In the evening we met in the living room near the samovar, happily talking about the past danger. Marya Ivanovna was pouring tea, I sat down next to her and occupied myself exclusively with her. My parents seemed to look favorably on the tenderness of our relationship. To this day this evening lives in my memories. I was happy, completely happy, but how many moments like that are there in a poor human life?
The next day they reported to the priest that the peasants had come to the master's courtyard to confess. Father came out to them on the porch. When he appeared, the men knelt down.
“Well, fools,” he told them, “why did you decide to rebel?”
“You’re to blame, our lord,” they answered out loud.
- That's right, they're to blame. They will scold you, and they themselves will not be happy. I forgive you for the joy that God has brought me to meet my son Pyotr Andreich. Well, good: the sword does not cut off a guilty head. - Guilty! Of course they are to blame. God gave me a bucket, it’s time to remove the hay; What did you, you fool, do for three whole days? Headman! Dress up everyone for haymaking; Yes, look, red-haired beast, so that by Ilyin’s day all the hay will be in the stacks. Get out.
The men bowed and went to corvée as if nothing had happened.
Shvabrin's wound was not fatal. He was sent with an escort to Kazan. I saw from the window how they put him in a cart. Our gazes met, he lowered his head, and I hastily moved away from the window. I was afraid to show that I was triumphing over the misfortune and humiliation of my enemy.
Grinev had to go further. I decided to follow him, despite my desire to stay a few more days among my family. On the eve of the campaign, I came to my parents and, as was the custom of that time, bowed at their feet, asking for their blessing for my marriage with Marya Ivanovna. The old men lifted me up and expressed their consent in joyful tears. I brought Marya Ivanovna to them, pale and trembling. We were blessed... I won’t describe what I felt. Anyone who has been in my position will already understand me; those who haven’t, I can only regret it and advise, before the time has passed, to fall in love and receive a blessing from your parents.
The next day the regiment assembled, Grinev said goodbye to our family. We were all confident that hostilities would soon end; in a month I hoped to be a husband. Marya Ivanovna, saying goodbye to me, kissed me in front of everyone. I sat on horseback. Savelich followed me again - and the regiment left.
For a long time I looked from a distance at the rural house, which I was leaving again. A gloomy feeling troubled me. Someone whispered to me that not all misfortunes were over for me. My heart sensed a new storm.
I will not describe our campaign and the end of the Pugachev War. We passed through villages devastated by Pugachev, and involuntarily took away from the poor residents what was left to them by the robbers.
They didn't know who to obey. The government was terminated everywhere. The landowners took refuge in the forests. Gangs of robbers were everywhere. The leaders of individual detachments sent in pursuit of Pugachev, who was then already fleeing to Astrakhan, autocratically punished the guilty and the innocent... The condition of the entire region, where the fire was raging, was terrible. God forbid we see a Russian rebellion - senseless and merciless. Those who are plotting impossible revolutions among us are either young and do not know our people, or they are hard-hearted people, for whom someone else’s head is half a piece, and their own neck is a penny.
Pugachev fled, pursued by Iv. Iv. Mikhelson. We soon learned that it had been completely destroyed. Finally, Grinev received news from his general about the capture of the impostor, and at the same time the order to stop. Finally I could go home. I was delighted; but a strange feeling darkened my joy.
Chapter 4. Duel
Peter began to like the fortress: he was accepted as family, and the people were “respectable.” Captain Mironov became an officer from a soldier; he had no education or wealth, but he was an honest and kind fellow. The wife ruled him and the fortress as an efficient and powerful mistress. Marya soon stopped shying away from the guest, and he realized that she was a very prudent and sensitive girl. Her mother was also not distinguished by the vices that Shvabrin attributed to her: she was a faithful wife and had no connections with other men. However, Shvabrin continued to spread rumors defaming them, and Grinev’s patience came to an end.
The friendly relations between the young people were destroyed when Grinev showed Shvabrin a love song dedicated to Marya. Alexey criticized the poems and ridiculed Masha, saying that she does not need poems, but new earrings, then she will visit Peter at dusk. Grinev was outraged, he called Shvabrin a bastard and received a challenge to a duel. Not finding seconds, they decided to fight without them.
In the morning they were arrested at the scene of the duel: the old soldier, whom Peter asked to be his second, told Vasilisa Yegorovna about everything. They counted them out, took away their swords, and wanted to put them on bread and water, but as the conversation progressed, the commandant and his wife thawed out and ordered the enemies to make peace. The men obeyed, but, leaving the captain's house, they decided to postpone the duel until later. On this day, Pyotr Andreevich learned that last year Alexey wooed Masha and was refused because he was unpleasant to her. Now he understood the reasons for his slander and even more wanted to punish the offender.
The next day the duel took place. Grinev was stronger and bolder, he drove the enemy into the river. But Savelich, having learned about this, ran to save Petrusha. Due to a call that came at the wrong time, Grinev is distracted and receives a blow to the chest below the right shoulder.
Chapter 5. Love
The entire family of the captain and Savelich looked after the sick Peter. He lay unconscious for five days, but when he heard Masha’s voice, he woke up. Then he tried to confess his love to her and felt that it was mutual. Having almost recovered, he again confessed his feelings to the girl and received consent to marriage. But she noted that Peter’s relatives are unlikely to agree, because she is without a dowry. Peter convinced her of the success of the letter and decided to send a message to his father to ask for his blessing.
Peter generously forgave Shvabrin, because he thought that it was painful for Alexei to lose the happiness that Peter himself had found. Shvabrin was released from punishment at the request of the wounded man, and the friends made peace.
In response to the request, Peter was refused, because Masha was without a dowry. The father threatened to transfer his son away from these places so that “the nonsense would get out of his head.” He blames his son for not being worthy to wear an officer's sword. Peter's mother fell ill with grief and anxiety for her son. Peter was upset and began to blame Savelich for the denunciation, but he showed him a letter from Grinev Sr., where he reproaches the servant for the lack of information and indulgence in the sins of the young master. The denunciation was written by Shvabrin, but Grinev could not prove it.
After reading the letter, Mary was very upset, and, despite the persuasion of her lover, she refused the marriage without a blessing. From that moment on, the girl began to shun him, to avoid him, and he closed himself off and was afraid that he would go crazy from loneliness and disappointment.
Chapter V. Love
Oh you girl, you red girl! Don’t go, girl, you’re young to get married; You ask, girl, father, mother, Father, mother, clan-tribe; Accumulate, girl, mind-mind, mind-mind, dowry. Folk song If you find me better, you will forget, If you find me worse, you will remember. Same
[Cm. a summary of this chapter and the entire story “The Captain's Daughter”. See also the outline of this chapter.]
When I woke up, I could not come to my senses for some time and did not understand what had happened to me. I lay on the bed, in an unfamiliar room, and felt very weak. Savelich stood in front of me with a candle in his hands. Someone carefully developed the slings with which my chest and shoulder were tied. Little by little my thoughts became clearer. I remembered my fight and guessed that I was wounded. At that moment the door creaked open. "What? What?" – said a voice in a whisper, which made me tremble. “Everyone is in the same position,” Savelich answered with a sigh, “everyone is without memory, this is already the fifth day.” I wanted to turn around, but I couldn’t. "Where I am? Who is there?" – I said with effort. Marya Ivanovna came up to my bed and leaned towards me. "What? How are you feeling?" - she said. “Thank God,” I answered in a weak voice. - Is it you, Marya Ivanovna? tell me...” I was unable to continue and fell silent. Savelich gasped. Joy appeared on his face. “I came to my senses! I came to my senses! - he repeated. - Glory to you, lord! Well, Father Pyotr Andreich! you scared me! Is it easy? fifth day!..” Marya Ivanovna interrupted his speech. “Don’t talk to him much, Savelich,” she said. “He’s still weak.” She went out and quietly closed the door. My thoughts were worried. So, I was in the commandant’s house, Marya Ivanovna came in to see me. I wanted to ask Savelich some questions, but the old man shook his head and covered his ears. I closed my eyes in annoyance and soon fell asleep.
When I woke up, I called Savelich and instead of him I saw Marya Ivanovna in front of me; her angelic voice greeted me. I cannot express the sweet feeling that took possession of me at that moment. I grabbed her hand and clung to it, shedding tears of tenderness. Masha didn’t tear her away... and suddenly her lips touched my cheek, and I felt their hot and fresh kiss. Fire ran through me. “Dear, kind Marya Ivanovna,” I told her, “be my wife, agree to my happiness.” - She came to her senses. “For God’s sake, calm down,” she said, taking her hand away from me. “You are still in danger: the wound may open.” Save yourself at least for me." With that word she left, leaving me in a rapture of delight. Happiness resurrected me. She will be mine! she loves Me! This thought filled my entire existence.
From then on, I got better hour by hour. I was treated by the regimental barber, for there was no other doctor in the fortress, and, thank God, he did not act clever. Youth and nature hastened my recovery. The entire family of the commandant looked after me. Marya Ivanovna did not leave my side. Of course, at the first opportunity, I began the interrupted explanation, and Marya Ivanovna listened to me more patiently. Without any affectation, she confessed to me her heartfelt inclination and said that her parents, of course, would be glad of her happiness. “But think carefully,” she added, “will there be any obstacles from your relatives?”
I thought about it. I had no doubt about my mother’s tenderness; but, knowing my father’s character and way of thinking, I felt that my love would not touch him too much and that he would look at it as a whim of a young man. I sincerely admitted this to Marya Ivanovna and decided, however, to write to my father as eloquently as possible, asking for my parent’s blessing. I showed the letter to Marya Ivanovna, who found it so convincing and touching that she had no doubt about its success and surrendered to the feelings of her tender heart with all the trustfulness of youth and love.
I made peace with Shvabrin in the first days of my recovery. Ivan Kuzmich, reprimanding me for the fight, told me: “Eh, Pyotr Andreich! I should have put you under arrest, but you are already punished. And Alexey Ivanovich is still sitting in the bread store under guard, and Vasilisa Yegorovna has his sword under lock and key. Let him come to his senses and repent.” I was too happy to keep a feeling of hostility in my heart. I began to plead for Shvabrin, and the good commandant, with the consent of his wife, decided to release him. Shvabrin came to me; he expressed deep regret for what happened between us; admitted that he was all to blame and asked me to forget about the past. Being by nature not vindictive, I sincerely forgave him both our quarrel and the wound I received from him. In his slander I saw the annoyance of offended pride and rejected love and generously excused my unfortunate rival.
I soon recovered and was able to move into my apartment. I eagerly awaited an answer to the letter sent, not daring to hope and trying to drown out sad forebodings. I have not yet explained to Vasilisa Egorovna and her husband; but my proposal should not have surprised them. Neither I nor Marya Ivanovna tried to hide our feelings from them, and we were already sure of their agreement in advance.
Finally, one morning Savelich came in to see me, holding a letter in his hands. I grabbed it with trepidation. The address was written by the priest's hand. This prepared me for something important, because my mother usually wrote letters to me, and he added a few lines at the end. For a long time I did not open the package and re-read the solemn inscription: “To my son Pyotr Andreevich Grinev, to the Orenburg province, to the Belogorsk fortress.” I tried to guess from the handwriting the mood in which the letter was written; I finally decided to print it out and from the first lines I saw that the whole thing had gone to hell. The contents of the letter were as follows:
“My son Peter! We received your letter, in which you ask us for our parental blessing and consent to marry Marya Ivanova, Mironova’s daughter, on the 15th of this month, and not only do I not intend to give you either my blessing or my consent, but I also intend to to get to you and for your pranks to teach you a lesson like a boy, despite your officer rank: for you have proven that you are still unworthy of wearing a sword, which was granted to you to defend the fatherland, and not for duels with the same brats as you yourself. I will immediately write to Andrei Karlovich, asking him to transfer you from the Belogorsk fortress somewhere further away, where your nonsense will go away. Your mother, having learned about your fight and that you were wounded, fell ill with grief and is now lying down. What will you become? I pray to God that you will improve, although I do not dare hope for his great mercy.
Your father A.G.”
Reading this letter aroused different feelings in me. The cruel expressions, which the priest did not skimp on, deeply offended me. The disdain with which he mentioned Marya Ivanovna seemed to me as obscene as it was unfair. The thought of my transfer from the Belogorsk fortress terrified me; But what saddened me most was the news of my mother’s illness. I was indignant at Savelich, having no doubt that my fight became known to my parents through him. Walking back and forth in my cramped room, I stopped in front of him and said, looking at him menacingly: “Apparently, you are not satisfied that, thanks to you, I was wounded and was on the edge of the grave for a whole month: you want to kill my mother too.” . Savelich was struck like thunder. “For mercy, sir,” he said, almost bursting into tears, “what do you want to say? I'm the reason you were hurt! God knows, I ran to shield you with my chest from Alexei Ivanovich’s sword! Damn old age got in the way. What did I do to your mother?” - "What did you do? - I answered. -Who asked you to write denunciations against me? Are you assigned to me as a spy? - "I? wrote denunciations against you? - Savelich answered with tears. - Lord, the king of heaven! So please read what the master writes to me: you will see how I denounced you.” Then he took a letter out of his pocket, and I read the following:
“Shame on you, old dog, that you, despite my strict orders, did not inform me about my son Pyotr Andreevich and that strangers are forced to notify me of his mischief. Is this how you fulfill your position and the will of your master? I love you, old dog! I will send pigs to graze for hiding the truth and conniving with the young man. Having received this, I order you to immediately write to me, what is his health now, about which they write to me that he has recovered; and where exactly was he wounded and whether he was well treated.”
It was obvious that Savelich was right in front of me and that I needlessly insulted him with reproach and suspicion. I asked him for forgiveness; but the old man was inconsolable. “This is what I have lived to see,” he repeated, “this is what favors I have received from my masters! I am an old dog and a swineherd, and am I also the cause of your wound? No, Father Pyotr Andreich! It’s not me, the damned monsieur, who is to blame for everything: he taught you to poke and stomp with iron skewers, as if by poking and stomping you can protect yourself from an evil person! It was necessary to hire a monsieur and spend extra money!”
But who took the trouble to notify my father about my behavior? General? But he didn't seem to care much about me; and Ivan Kuzmich did not consider it necessary to report on my fight. I was at a loss. My suspicions settled on Shvabrin. He alone had the benefit of denunciation, the consequence of which could have been my removal from the fortress and a break with the commandant’s family. I went to announce everything to Marya Ivanovna. She met me on the porch. “What happened to you? – she said when she saw me. “How pale you are!” - "Everything is over!" - I answered and gave her my father’s letter. She turned pale in turn. After reading, she returned the letter to me with a trembling hand and said in a trembling voice: “Apparently, I am not destined... Your relatives do not want me into their family. Let the Lord's will be in everything! God knows better than we do what we need. There is nothing to do, Pyotr Andreich; At least be happy..." - "This won't happen! - I cried, grabbing her hand, - you love me; I'm ready for anything. Let's go, let's throw ourselves at the feet of your parents; they are simple people, not hard-hearted and proud... They will bless us; we will get married... and then, over time, I am sure, we will beg my father; mother will be for us; he will forgive me...” “No, Pyotr Andreich,” answered Masha, “I will not marry you without the blessing of your parents. Without their blessing you will not be happy. Let us submit to the will of God. If you find yourself a betrothed, if you fall in love with another, God be with you, Pyotr Andreich; and I am for both of you...” Then she began to cry and left me; I wanted to follow her into the room, but I felt that I was unable to control myself, and I returned home.
I was sitting immersed in deep thought, when suddenly Savelich interrupted my thoughts. “Here, sir,” he said, handing me a sheet of paper covered in writing, “see if I’m an informer on my master and if I’m trying to confuse my son with his father.” I took the paper from his hands: it was Savelich’s response to the letter he had received. Here it is word by word:
“Sovereign Andrei Petrovich,
our merciful father!
I received your gracious writing, in which you deign to be angry with me, your servant, that I am ashamed of not fulfilling the master’s orders, but I, not an old dog, but your faithful servant, obey the master’s orders and have always served you diligently and lived to see gray hair I didn’t write anything to you about Pyotr Andreich’s wound, so as not to scare you unnecessarily, and, I hear, the lady, our mother Avdotya Vasilyevna, already fell ill with fright, and I will pray to God for her health. And Pyotr Andreich was wounded under the right shoulder, in the chest right under the bone, an inch and a half deep, and he lay in the commandant’s house, where we brought him from the shore, and was treated by the local barber Stepan Paramonov; and now Pyotr Andreich, thank God, is healthy, and there is nothing but good things to write about him. The commanders are heard to be pleased with him; and to Vasilisa Yegorovna he is like his own son. And the fact that such an accident happened to him is not a reproach for the fellow: the horse has four legs, but it stumbles. And you deign to write that you will send me to herd pigs, and that is your boyar will. For this I bow slavishly.
Your faithful servant
Arkhip Savelyev."
I couldn’t help but smile several times while reading the good old man’s letter. I was unable to answer the priest; and to calm my mother down, Savelich’s letter seemed sufficient to me.
Since then my position has changed. Marya Ivanovna hardly spoke to me and tried in every possible way to avoid me. The commandant's house became hateful to me. Little by little I learned to sit alone at home. At first Vasilisa Egorovna blamed me for this; but, seeing my stubbornness, she left me alone. I saw Ivan Kuzmich only when the service required it. I met Shvabrin rarely and reluctantly, especially since I noticed in him a hidden hostility towards myself, which confirmed my suspicions. My life has become unbearable to me. I fell into a gloomy reverie, fueled by loneliness and inaction. My love flared up in solitude and hour by hour it became more painful for me. I lost the desire for reading and literature. My spirit fell. I was afraid of either going crazy or falling into debauchery. Unexpected events that had an important impact on my whole life suddenly gave my soul a strong and beneficial shock.
Chapter 6. Pugachevism
In those days, the steppe was inhabited by wild and unbridled peoples who did not want to submit to the king. To pacify them, fortresses were built, inhabited by Cossacks, who were supposed to suppress revolts and unrest. But after numerous oppressions by the authorities, the defenders turned into attackers and staged a riot, suppressed by grapeshot and other brutal measures. But the rebels only hid themselves for the time being, so that at a convenient time they could go against the authorities again.
In such a situation, news reaches the Belogordsk fortress about the escaped Don Cossack Emelyan Pugachev and his villainous gang. The enemies are about to march on the fortress, everyone is starting to prepare.
Gradually everyone will learn about the problem, despite the secrecy. It turned out that even in the Belogorsk fortress there were those who wanted to betray the fatherland and go over to the rebels. So, a police officer was captured, but like-minded people helped him escape. Then they captured a Bashkir with a proclamation, but he found himself without a tongue, nose and ears (he had already rebelled and was punished with torture and mutilation). As a result, an employee of Gerasim’s father came running and said that the Pugachevites had taken the neighboring fortress: they had hanged all the officers and plundered their property. Peter offered to evacuate the women, but Vasilisa Yegorovna refused to leave (she didn’t want to leave her husband): “Live together, die together.” But Marya had to be taken away, and that’s what they decided on.
Chapter 7. Attack
Pyotr Andreevich is tormented by insomnia. The next morning he learns that the road was blocked, and Marya did not have time to be taken out of the fortress. He is very worried, but at the same time he wants to prove to her in practice that he can be trusted. Peter feels like a knight and is waiting for the decisive battle.
Finally, the rebels appear led by Pugachev and offer everyone to surrender. The loyal Kalmyk kidnapped the day before is demonstratively beheaded by the Cossacks who sided with Pugachev. Having been refused, the rebels break into the fortress and kill everyone who refuses to join them. Finally, Mironov managed to bless Marya, kiss his wife, and they both disappeared into the house. At the last minute, the soldiers became timid, and the fortress was quickly conquered. Residents immediately supplied the rebels with bread and salt to save their lives. Pugachev held a trial on the square. Mironov and Grinev were prisoners. The captain was hanged first, because he called the rebel not a king, as he ordered, but a thief and an impostor. This is how all the people loyal to the queen responded and ended up on the gallows. But Shvabrin and many others went over to the ataman’s side, Alexey even managed to cut his hair and put on a Cossack dress. He approached Pugachev and whispered a few words to him about Grinev. Without looking, the leader of the rebels demanded that Peter be hanged. But Savelich throws himself at Pugachev’s feet, exchanges his life for his, promises a ransom for the master’s son, and Peter is pardoned. They bring him to Pugachev’s hand, make him kneel, but Peter does not kiss the hand, despite Savelich’s persuasion. He is taken aside. Residents and soldiers swear allegiance to the rebel.
But then a naked and disheveled Vasilisa Egorovna burst out of the house. She swears at the rioters who are looting her house. Seeing her husband on the gallows, she cried out:
You are my light, Ivan Kuzmich, you brave little soldier! Neither Prussian bayonets nor Turkish bullets touched you; You didn’t lay down your belly in a fair fight, but perished from an escaped convict!
Pugachev ordered her to be killed, and she dies next to her husband from a blow to the head.
XII. Orphan
In the fortress, Pugachev and Grinev were met by Shvabrin, who outwardly resembled the Cossacks (grew a beard). He behaves subserviently and helpfully. The chieftain asks to show the girl he is keeping under guard. Shvabrin claims that this is his wife. Masha is under arrest. She is dressed in a peasant dress, emaciated, pale, with disheveled hair.
Pugachev decided to marry Masha and Peter, but Alexey Ivanovich reveals the truth that the girl is the captain’s daughter. But instead of punishment, the robber sets Peter and Mary free.
Chapter 8. Uninvited Guest
Peter wanders around the besieged fortress and tries to find out news about Marya’s fate. The priest hid her, saying that it was her niece. Pugachev glanced at her, but did not touch her. Masha lay unconscious. The priest herself is afraid of exposure, but still protects Marya’s secret. The rebel himself dines with them.
Peter comes to his place and knows from the servant that everything has been destroyed. The rioters stole things. Savelich invites him to find food and says that he recognized the rebel: this is the same drunkard who led him out of the storm. Peter understands why he was released, and is tormented, not knowing what to do: go and serve the fatherland, or stay and protect Marya.
Pugachev calls Grinev for a conversation. He decided to test Grinev and ask if he considered him a king? Peter hesitated, he wanted to live, but he could not recognize the swindler of the heirs to the throne. Then he said that he could not call him tsar, because this was not true, and the Cossack himself knew about it. Honesty and sincerity amaze Pugachev, who tried to convince Peter that he was a tsar in disgrace. He himself stops putting on a comedy: he is not Tsar Peter (as he seemed to the common people), but the Cossack Pugachev. But he remarks: “Isn’t there good luck for the daring” - and invites Peter to serve not for an idea, but for a reward. But Peter refuses to betray the oath and honestly explains his position: if he is told to go against Pugachev, he will go.
My head is in your power: if you let me go, thank you, if you execute me, God will be your judge; and I told the truth.
Pugachev releases Petrusha on all four sides: “Execute like that, execute like that, have mercy like that.” Grinev comes to Savelich, eats and goes to bed.
The main idea of the story
“Take care of your honor from a young age, and take care of your dress again.” Throughout the entire story, Pyotr Grinev tries to adhere to the covenant that his father gave him. The main character remained faithful to the oath, the Motherland and his loved ones.
“The Captain's Daughter” is a multifaceted work, which contains several directions at once. Based on the characteristics of the characters, three main themes can be distinguished: patriotism, love and kindness. There is also another quote associated with patriotic motives: “It is our duty to defend the fortress until our last breath.” To understand the most expressed ideas, of course, it is necessary to know the history of the creation of “The Captain's Daughter”.
A short review of Pushkin’s book “The Captain’s Daughter”: “The historical novel takes your breath away from the first pages. By the title of the work we can say that the main theme is love, but after reading the first pages the impression changes. Love only complements the plot, which was based on the real struggle of peasants and Cossacks for the “real” king.”
Chapter 9. Separation
Grinev wakes up and gets ready to leave. On the square he watches Pugachev handing out money to people. He announces that Shvabrin becomes the commander of the fortress. Peter is terrified for Marya’s fate, but there is nothing to do. He receives an order to report to Orenburg about Pugachev’s offensive. Savelich presents the ataman with an invoice for the things stolen from Peter. Pugachev swears at him and leaves. Peter can't help but laugh.
Grinev goes to Marya to say goodbye, but she lies unconscious and does not recognize him. He decides to go to Orenburg and ask the authorities to free the fortress as soon as possible. Popadya asks him to write more often. He kisses Marya's hand, shedding tears. The threat from Shvabrin now worries him very much.
On the way, a police officer caught up with Savelich and gave him the horse and sheepskin sheepskin coat that Pugachev had given him. He “lost the money intended for Peter on the way.” Savelich began to argue, but Peter stopped the argument and asked him to take the lost money for vodka. Then Savelich said that it was not in vain that he presented Pugachev with a bill: “A dashing dog can get even a tuft of wool.”
Chapter 10. Siege of the city
The general received Peter while watching the insulation of the apple trees. He was clearly calm and good-natured, despite the bloodshed in the area. At a meeting of officials in Orenburg, Peter proposes an offensive plan of action, however, the officials do not like the attack, and they decide to strengthen the defense. The general pretended to agree with Peter, but shared the opinion of the majority, because he was afraid to risk the resources entrusted to him for the sake of dubious luck. It is clear that people were not thinking about others, but about themselves and their safety. Pugachev's gang takes the city under siege. Residents were starving, because of this all actions against the rebels were ineffective. Peter was annoyed at the delay, but could not get out of the fortress.
Grinev receives a note from his beloved asking for help. Shvabrin blackmails her with the idea that he will hand her over to Pugachev, and then the robbers will use her at their discretion. She had three days to think. Only Peter could help her preserve her honor and life.
Grinev almost went crazy after reading the letter he received from the former constable Maksimych, who became Pugachev’s servant and met him on a sortie near the walls of Orenburg. He asked the general to allocate soldiers for release, but received only complaints and fruitless threats against Shvabrin. The general believed that it was better for Marya to marry Alexei and take advantage of his protection, because then he would be shot anyway, and it would be easier for a widow to get settled in life than for a dowry-free woman.
Peter was furious, but suddenly an idea occurred to him, which will be discussed in the next chapter.
Chapter 11. Rebel settlement
Peter found Savelich and invited him to divide the remaining money and say goodbye (the cunning old man hid the silver from the robbers). Grinev wanted to go after Marya alone and did not want to put his servant at risk. But Savelich refused to leave him and said:
If you have already decided to go, then I will even follow you on foot, but I will not leave you.
Together with Savelich, Petrusha goes to the fortress to free Marya, but on the way he is captured by Pugachev’s robbers. Having again met the ataman face to face, Grinev tells Emelyan about the poor orphan whom Shvabrin is mocking. Two advisers to the rebel begin to argue: one says that Peter is a spy, and he should be hanged on the same crossbar with Shvabrin, and the other advises not to frighten the nobles with a demonstrative reprisal against Shvabrin, because they already made a mistake by appointing a nobleman to command the Cossacks. The second adviser is against killing Peter, since he was used to killing the enemy in the field, and not on the stove. In his opinion, Grinev was a guest. They quarreled. The conversation could have ended badly, but Peter changed the topic, thanking the chieftain for the horse and sheepskin coat. Pugachev was amused and decided to postpone the decision on the guest’s fate until tomorrow, but for now, go for a walk together. The feast ended late, and Peter was escorted to a makeshift cell. The next morning, the ataman called Peter to go to the Belogorsk fortress and investigate on the spot. They sat down in the tent and began a frank conversation. The rebel admitted that he “didn’t have enough will,” and the very first defeat would result in him being handed over by his own subordinates, who, as Peter noted, looked at the leader with feigned servility. “They are thieves,” Pugachev openly admits, realizing that he has no one to rely on. His power until his first success. But he is still beckoned by hope: he always cites the example of Grishka Otrepiev, who reigned in Moscow. But Peter said that False Dmitry ended badly, becoming a victim of execution. In response to this, Emelyan told a Kalmyk fairy tale about an eagle and a raven. The eagle asked the raven why he lives 300 years, and the eagle only 33 years? Raven said that you need to eat carrion for longevity. The eagle tried, but decided not to live long: he didn’t like the raven’s food. But Peter replied that to rob and kill is to eat carrion. Pugachev had nothing to object to this.
II. Counselor
Frustrated by the loss, Pyotr Grinev and Savelich left the tavern and continued on their way to their place of service. On the way they were overtaken by a snowstorm. The driver stopped the horses because he could not see the road due to the snowstorm. The little man who was walking towards them promised to lead them in the right direction when the storm subsided.
During the forced stop, Pyotr Grinev fell asleep. Peter dreamed of his return to his father’s house, where he learns that his father is dying. When Peter went into the room to say goodbye to his father and receive a blessing, he saw a frightening-looking black-bearded man in bed. The young man refused to communicate with him. Then the black man jumped up and swung his ax as if he was destroying everything around him. Peter saw many dead bodies around and slid in pools of blood. The dream was prophetic
Chapter 12. Orphan
Pugachev travels with Grinev to the Belogorsk fortress, where they meet Alexei, who has become the spitting image of a Cossack. Shvabrin, having feignedly accepted Peter, humiliates himself, fusses and cheats, even calls the girl his wife and explains her excuses as illness, but the ataman opens the door with a strong blow and finds the prisoner whom Alexei kept on bread and water. Shvabrin throws himself on his knees and asks for mercy. Pugachev gives him forgiveness, but releases Marya along with Peter. However, Alexey, mad with anger, reveals the secret of the captain's daughter. Then Grinev says that he could not reveal the secret in front of witnesses, fearing that his servants would take it out on Marya even before their arrival.
The chieftain frees the girl, Grinev and Mironova leave the fortress, followed by Pugachev. Peter decides to send the bride to her parents, saying that no force will separate them anymore. Marya says that she will marry him only after his blessing. The agreement was sealed with a long kiss.
Characters of the story
Most of the characters present in the work are the writer’s fiction; their prototypes, however, are real people of that time. The central person in “The Captain's Daughter”, Pugachev, is a historical figure and occupies no less important place than the main character.
Main characters
- Pyotr Grinev is the central character of “The Captain’s Daughter”, around whom the events unfold. The outline of the work is his memories of his years of service, his meeting with Maria, his enmity with Shvabrin and his refusal to support Pugachev.
- Alexey Shvabrin is an unpleasant character who is at odds with Grinev. He can be described as a deceitful, vile and cowardly person.
- Masha Mironova. The girl appears at the stage of Peter Grinev’s arrival at the place of service. She is the daughter of the commandant of the Belogorsk fortress.
- Emelyan Pugachev was the leader of the peasant war, who called himself the miraculously surviving husband of the current empress, Peter III.
Minor characters
Many of the minor characters in the story “The Captain's Daughter” appear in the work no more than twice. Among the most notable personalities are:
- Alexey Petrovich Grinev is the father of Pyotr Grinev. It was on his initiative that his son was sent not to St. Petersburg, but to the Belogorsk fortress.
- Captain Mironov. Masha’s father and commandant of the Belogorodskaya fortress, where Pyotr Grinev came to serve.
- Arkhip Savelich is the “nanny”, the mentor of the young Grinev.
In addition to the characters presented in the work of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, there are others: fictional and not. Among them we can note Empress Catherine II, Zurin, who managed to get Grinev drunk.
Chapter 13. Arrest
Young people go to the village to visit Peter's parents. However, on the way they were stopped by the hussars and wanted to separate them, because the coachman introduced himself that the king’s godfather was riding in the wagon. Grinev was mistaken for Pugachev’s servant, but he dismissed all suspicions when he met with Zurin. The misunderstanding was cleared up, and Zurin personally apologized to Marya.
In a conversation with him, Grinev learned that the way to Simbirsk was clear. Military duty tells him to stay at the front, and he sends Masha and Savelich to his parents, while he himself remains to serve under the leadership of Zurin.
The military campaign against Pugachev was sluggish and unsuccessful: government troops behaved no better than the rebels and took away from the people the last thing they had left from the robbers. Therefore, the ataman easily ran away from his pursuers and again acquired loyal subjects, who took Kazan and moved to Moscow.
Finally, Pugachev is arrested, the uprising is suppressed, but Peter, who has already received leave to visit his family, is arrested for his “friendship” with Emelyan Pugachev.
