The Power of Darkness by Leo Tolstoy (best reads of all time .TXT) đ
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The Power of Darkness is a five-act drama that follows the downfall of the peasants AnĂsya and NikĂta as they succumb to a series of sordid temptations, from adultery and drunkenness to outright murder. Written in 1886 but suppressed by censors until 1902, the play is a realist portrayal of some of the darkest elements of Russian peasant life. Similar to some other late Tolstoy works, like Resurrection, the playâs psychological exploration of human depravity is accompanied by a sharp social critique of the Russian Empire and its role in perpetuating poverty and ignorance among its lowest and most marginalized classes.
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- Author: Leo Tolstoy
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friend, I was that sickâ âthat sick of my life! Itâs not as if I didnât love him.
Neighbour
That goes without saying.
AnĂsya
Ah, how hard it is to bear such treatment from him! Oh, how it hurts!
Neighbour
Yes, and Iâve heard say heâs becoming too free with his fists?
AnĂsya
And that too! There was a time when he was gentle when heâd had a drop. He used to hit out before, but of me he was always fond! But now when heâs in a temper he goes for me and is ready to trample me under his feet. The other day he got both hands entangled in my hair so that I could hardly get away. And the girlâs worse than a serpent; itâs a wonder the earth bears such furies.
Neighbour
Ah, ah, my dear, now I look at you, you are a sufferer! To suffer like that is no joke. To have given shelter to a beggar, and he to lead you such a dance! Why donât you pull in the reins?
AnĂsya
Ah, but my dear, if it werenât for my heart! Him as is gone was stern enough, still I could twist him about any way I liked; but with this one I can do nothing. As soon as I see him all my anger goes. I havenât a grain of courage before him; I go about like a drowned hen.
Neighbour
Ah, neighbour, you must be under a spell. Iâve heard that MatryĂłna goes in for that sort of thing. It must be her.
AnĂsya
Yes, dear; I think so myself sometimes. Gracious me, how hurt I feel at times! Iâd like to tear him to pieces. But when I set eyes on him, my heart wonât go against him.
Neighbour
Itâs plain youâre bewitched. It donât take long to blight a body. There now, when I look at you, what you have dwindled to!
AnĂsya
Growing a regular spindle-shanks. And just look at that fool AkoulĂna. Wasnât the girl a regular untidy slattern, and just look at her now! Where has it all come from? Yes, he has fitted her out. Sheâs grown so smart, so puffed up, just like a bubble thatâs ready to burst. And, though sheâs a fool, sheâs got it into her head, âIâm the mistress,â she says; âthe house is mine; itâs me father wanted him to marry.â And sheâs that vicious! Lord help us, when she gets into a rage sheâs ready to tear the thatch off the house.
Neighbour
Oh dear, what a life yours is, now I come to look at you. And yet thereâs people envying you: âTheyâre rich,â they say; but it seems that gold donât keep tears from falling.
AnĂsya
Much reason for envy indeed! And the riches, too, will soon be made ducks and drakes of. Dear me, how he squanders money!
Neighbour
But howâs it, dear, youâve been so simple to give up the money? Itâs yours.
AnĂsya
Ah, if you knew all! The thing is that Iâve made one little mistake.
Neighbour
Well, if I were you, Iâd go straight and have the law of him. The moneyâs yours; how dare he squander it? Thereâs no such rights.
AnĂsya
They donât pay heed to that nowadays.
Neighbour
Ah, my dear, now I come to look at you, youâve got that weak.
AnĂsya
Yes, quite weak, dear, quite weak. Heâs got me into a regular fix. I donât myself know anything. Oh, my poor head!
Neighbour
Listening. Thereâs someone coming, I think. The door opens and AkĂm enters.
AkĂm
Crosses himself, knocks the snow off his feet, and takes off his coat. Peace be to this house! How do you do? Are you well, daughter?
AnĂsya
How dâyou do, father? Do you come straight from home?
AkĂm
Iâve been a-thinking, Iâll go and see whatâs name, go to see my son, I meanâ âmy son. I didnât start earlyâ âhad my dinner, I mean; I went, and itâs so what dâyou call itâ âso snowy, hard walking, and so there Iâm what dâyou call itâ âlate, I mean. And my sonâ âis he at home? At home? My son, I mean.
AnĂsya
No; heâs gone to the town.
AkĂm
Sits down on a bench. Iâve some business with him, dâyou see, some business, I mean. I told him tâother day, told him I was in needâ âtold him, I mean, that our horse was done for, our horse, you see. So we must what dâye call it, get a horse, I mean, some kind of a horse, I mean. So there, Iâve come, you see.
AnĂsya
NikĂta told me. When he comes back youâll have a talk. Goes to the oven. Have some supper now, and heâll soon come. MĂtritch, eh MĂtritch, come have your supper.
MĂtritch
Oh Lord! merciful Nicholas!
AnĂsya
Come to supper.
Neighbour
I shall go now. Good night. Exit.
MĂtritch
Gets down from the oven. I never noticed how I fell asleep. Oh Lord! gracious Nicholas! How dâyou do, Daddy AkĂm?
AkĂm
Ah, MĂtritch! What are you, what dâye call it, I mean?â ââ âŠ
MĂtritch
Why, Iâm working for your son, NikĂta.
AkĂm
Dear me! What dâye callâ ââ ⊠working for my son, I mean. Dear me!
MĂtritch
I was living with a tradesman in town, but drank all I had there. Now Iâve come back to the village. Iâve no home, so Iâve gone into service. Gapes. Oh Lord!
AkĂm
But howâs that, what dâyou call it, or whatâs name, NikĂta, what does he do? Has he some business, I mean besides, that he should hire a labourer, a labourer I mean, hire a labourer?
AnĂsya
What business should he have? He used to manage, but now heâs other things on his mind, so heâs hired a labourer.
MĂtritch
Why shouldnât he, seeing he has money?
AkĂm
Now thatâs what dâyou call it, thatâs wrong, I mean, quite wrong, I mean. Thatâs spoiling oneself.
AnĂsya
Oh, he has got spoilt, that spoilt, itâs just awful.
AkĂm
There now, what dâyou call it, one thinks how to make things better, and it gets worse I mean. Riches spoil a man, spoil, I
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