A summary of Dubrovsky by Alexander Pushkin

The classic Russian author’s novel describes the conflict between two landowners and the tragic fate of their children. The work was created in 1833. The writer left the drafts without final edits, and the text was published posthumously under an editorial title. Several films have been made based on the plot. The most famous Soviet adaptations were released in 1936 and 1988. A film version was later released in 2014.

Life of neighbors

Kirila Petrovich Troekurov is a wealthy nobleman who lives in the village of Pokrovskoye, where he constantly hosts noisy feasts and violent amusements. Neighbors fear his wrath, and provincial officials tremble at his name. The only person he respects is the poor nobleman Andrei Gavrilovich Dubrovsky. This retired lieutenant owns the neighboring village of Kistenevka. The two landowners have been friends for many years and often go hunting together. Both were widowed early. Dubrovsky’s son, Vladimir, serves as a cornet in the guards in St. Petersburg. Troekurov’s daughter, Marya Kirilovna, is being raised at home.

One autumn day, Troekurov and his guests are inspecting his kennel. Dubrovsky remarks that the master’s dogs are faring better than his servants. The kennelmaster, Paramoshka, brazenly replies that a nobleman would do well to trade his estate for a local kennel. The guests burst into laughter. Andrei Gavrilovich is deeply offended and silently leaves for home. He writes a letter demanding that the servant be handed over for punishment. Troekurov is outraged by such boldness from his old friend.

Soon, the Pokrovsk peasants steal timber from their neighbor’s birch grove. Andrei Gavrilovich confiscates their horses and punishes the offenders with rods. Upon learning of this, the wealthy landowner devises a cruel revenge and illegally seizes Kistenevka from his former comrade.

Litigation

Assessor Shabashkin helps Troekurov create a false case. Andrei Gavrilovich’s genuine land ownership documents were destroyed in a fire a long time ago. The district court rules in favor of the plaintiff. Upon hearing the unfair verdict, Dubrovsky Sr. goes mad right there in the courtroom. He throws a heavy inkwell at Shabashkin, after which the ailing old man is taken back to the village.

Yegorovna, the elderly nanny, sends a letter to Vladimir in St. Petersburg. The officer requests leave and hurries home. At the post station, he meets the elderly coachman Anton, who complains about his neighbor’s abuses and assures him of the peasants’ loyalty. Vladimir arrives in Kistenevka and finds his father in extremely grave condition.

The appeal deadline expires. The estate officially passes to Troekurov. Troubled by his conscience, the wealthy neighbor decides to make peace and return the land to its rightful owner. He arrives at the estate in a racing droshky. The ailing Andrei Gavrilovich sees his sworn enemy through the window. He is paralyzed, collapses, and dies instantly. Vladimir orders his servant to chase Troekurov out of the yard.

After the funeral, Shabashkin, the police captain, and other officials arrive. They announce to the peasants that the village has been transferred to a new owner. The peasants are ready to revolt. Young Dubrovsky stops the enraged crowd with a firm word. The frightened officials ask for protection and spend the night in the manor house’s living room.

Fire and robbery

That night, Vladimir decides that his family home will not go to the one responsible for his father’s death. The young man orders his servants to evacuate everyone from the building. He spreads straw on the porch and sets the estate on fire. Arkhip, the blacksmith, deliberately locks the entryway doors. The servants try to escape, but are burned alive.

Vladimir hides in the forest. Soon, bandits begin operating throughout the province. They rob landowners’ houses along the roads and burn them down. Local residents are convinced that Dubrovsky has become the ataman. However, the gang always avoids Troekurov’s vast estates.

A young Frenchman, Desforges, arrives in Pokrovskoye. Troekurov has hired him as a tutor for his son, Sasha. The master decides to test the newcomer’s mettle. Servants unexpectedly push Desforges into a locked room with a hungry bear. The Frenchman pulls out a pocket pistol and shoots the animal right in the ear. Marya Kirilovna is deeply impressed by his courage.

Exposure

In the fall, guests flock to Pokrovskoye for the church festival. Among them is the fat landowner Anton Pafnutich Spitsyn, who gave false testimony against Dubrovsky Sr. at the trial. Spitsyn is terrified of the forest bandits’ revenge and hides his money in a leather pouch on his chest.

That evening, the guests dance and revel, while Spitsyn searches for a safe place to spend the night. He asks to sleep in Deforge’s room, hoping for the brave foreigner’s protection. That night, the Frenchman quietly wakes Spitsyn, unfastens his bag of money, and confesses in perfect Russian that he is Vladimir Dubrovsky. It turns out that a month earlier, the young man had bought the documents from the real teacher for 10,000 rubles.

After a nighttime robbery, Vladimir realizes that remaining in his enemy’s house is extremely dangerous. The ataman arranges a meeting with Marya Kirilovna in the garden by the stream. At their meeting, he reveals his true identity to the girl and confesses that he abandoned his vengeance on her father because of sudden love.

Vladimir makes Marya Kirilovna promise to turn to him for help in any major trouble. He leaves her a ring and quickly disappears into the darkness. In the morning, a pale Spitsyn tells Troekurov about the robbery and quickly rides away. The master realizes the teacher’s deception, but the fugitive is already far away.

Vereisky’s courtship

The following summer, the elderly Prince Vereisky returns to the neighboring estate of Arbatovo. He is about fifty years old. Arbatovo is located 32 kilometers from Pokrovskoe. Prince Vereisky is captivated by the youthful beauty of seventeen-year-old Marya Kirilovna and soon formally proposes to her. Troekurov happily consents to the marriage.

Marya Kirilovna falls into deep despair. She asks Vladimir for urgent help during a secret nighttime rendezvous. She begs the robber not to harm her father. The ataman firmly promises to save her from the hateful marriage.

Marya Kirilovna writes a letter to Vereisky, begging him to abandon the wedding. Prince Vereisky cynically shows the message to Troekurov. The enraged master locks his daughter in her room and orders her to prepare for the wedding the following day. The wedding becomes inevitable.

The girl asks little Sasha to urgently take a ring to the hollow of an old oak tree. The boy carries out the errand, but notices a ragged, red-haired teenager trying to take the ring. A fight ensues. Troekurov catches the red-haired boy, who turns out to be the Dubrovskys’ servant. The police officer releases the teenager, hoping to use him to track down the forest gang.

The messenger reaches the forest and gives the signal. Dubrovsky receives the message, but precious time is already hopelessly lost. The next day, a pale Marya Kirilovna is taken to church. She hopes until the last second for a savior to appear. The priest hurriedly performs the wedding ceremony.

Denouement

The carriage carrying the newlyweds sets off for Arbatovo. In the middle of the road, the carriage is suddenly attacked by an armed mob. Vladimir opens the door and offers the young princess freedom. Prince Vereisky fires a traveling pistol and wounds the ataman in the shoulder. The bandits drag the prince from the carriage and prepare to tear him to pieces with knives.

Vladimir sternly orders his men to stop. Marya Kirilovna refuses to leave with the ataman, as she has sworn an oath before God and is now obligated to remain with her lawful husband. Severely bleeding, the young man collapses near the wheel. Loyal peasants lift the wounded leader onto a horse and quickly carry him into the forest.

Soldiers discover a bandit camp hidden in the dense forest. A fierce battle ensues. Government troops descend into the ditch and scale the fortified rampart. Vladimir shoots an officer point-blank with a pistol. Deprived of their commander, the attacking soldiers flee in panic. The bandits celebrate their brief victory and lock themselves in the fortress.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Vladimir gathers his accomplices. He announces the complete disbandment of the detachment. The leader advises the peasants to move to remote provinces and begin an honest life. He himself takes one trusted man with him and leaves his home forever. The rampant highway robberies quickly cease. According to rumors, the former ataman is hiding abroad.