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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tell you straight, Iâm not going to do a manâs work! Iâll go and lie on the top of the oven same as you, and let everything go to pot! You may do what you like.
Peter
To AkoulĂna. Go and see about the feeding, will you? itâs time.
AkoulĂna
The feeding? All right. Puts on a coat and takes a rope.
AnĂsya
Iâm not going to work for you. You go and work yourself. Iâve had enough of it, so there!
Peter
Thatâll do. What are you raving about? Like a sheep with the staggers!
AnĂsya
Youâre a crazy cur, you are! One gets neither work nor pleasure from you. Eating your fill, thatâs all you do, you palsied cur, you!
Peter
Spits and puts on coat. Faugh! The Lord have mercy! Iâd better go myself and see whatâs up. Exit.
AnĂsya
After him. Scurvy long-nosed devil!
AkoulĂna
What are you swearing at dad for?
AnĂsya
Hold your noise, you idiot!
AkoulĂna
Going to the door. I know why youâre swearing at him. Youâre an idiot yourself, you bitch. Iâm not afraid of you.
AnĂsya
What do you mean? Jumps up and looks round for something to hit her with. Mind, or Iâll give you one with the poker.
AkoulĂna
Opening the door. Bitch! devil! thatâs what you are! Devil! bitch! bitch! devil! Runs off.
AnĂsya
Ponders. âCome and dance at my wedding!â What new plan is this? Marry? Mind, NikĂta, if thatâs your intention, Iâll go andâ ââ ⊠No, I canât live without him. I wonât let him go.
NikĂta
Enters, looks round, and seeing AnĂsya alone approaches quickly. In a low tone. Hereâs a go; Iâm in a regular fix! That governor of mine wants to take me awayâ âtells me Iâm to come home. Says quite straight Iâm to marry and live at home.
AnĂsya
Well, go and marry! Whatâs that to me?
NikĂta
Is that it? Why, here am I reckoning how best to consider matters, and just hear her! She tells me to go and marry. Whyâs that? Winking. Has she forgotten?
AnĂsya
Yes, go and marry! What do I care?
NikĂta
What are you spitting for? Just see, she wonât even let me stroke her.â ââ ⊠Whatâs the matter?
AnĂsya
This! That you want to play me false.â ââ ⊠If you doâ âwhy, I donât want you either. So now you know!
NikĂta
Thatâll do, AnĂsya. Do you think Iâll forget you? Never while I live! Iâll not play you false, thatâs flat. Iâve been thinking that supposing they do go and make me marry, Iâd still come back to you. If only he donât make me live at home.
AnĂsya
Much need Iâll have of you, once youâre married.
NikĂta
Thereâs a go now. How is it possible to go against oneâs fatherâs will?
AnĂsya
Yes, I daresay, shove it all on your father. You know itâs your own doing. Youâve long been plotting with that slut of yours, MarĂna. Itâs she has put you up to it. She didnât come here for nothing tâother day.
NikĂta
MarĂna? Whatâs she to me? Much I care about her!â ââ ⊠Plenty of them buzzing around.
AnĂsya
Then what has made your father come here? Itâs you have told him to. Youâve gone and deceived me. Cries.
NikĂta
AnĂsya, do you believe in a God or not? I never so much as dreamt of it. I know nothing at all about it. I never even dreamt of itâ âthatâs flat! My old dad has got it all out of his own pate.
AnĂsya
If you donât wish it yourself who can force you? He canât drive you like an ass.
NikĂta
Well, I reckon itâs not possible to go against oneâs parent. But itâs not by my wish.
AnĂsya
Donât you budge, thatâs all about it!
NikĂta
There was a fellow wouldnât budge, and the village elder gave him such a hiding.â ââ ⊠Thatâs what it might come to! Iâve no great wish for that sort of thing. They say it touches one up.â ââ âŠ
AnĂsya
Shut up with your nonsense. NikĂta, listen to me: if you marry that MarĂna I donât know what I wonât do to myself.â ââ ⊠I shall lay hands on myself! I have sinned, I have gone against the law, but I canât go back now. If you go away Iâllâ ââ âŠ
NikĂta
Why should I go? Had I wanted to goâ âI should have gone long ago. There was IvĂĄn SemyĂłnitch tâother dayâ âoffered me a place as his coachman.â ââ ⊠Only fancy what a life that would have been! But I did not go. Because, I reckon, I am good enough for anyone. Now if you did not love me it would be a different matter.
AnĂsya
Yes, and thatâs what you should remember. My old man will die one of these fine days, Iâm thinking; then we could cover our sin, make it all right and lawful, and then youâll be master here.
NikĂta
Whereâs the good of making plans? What do I care? I work as hard as if I were doing it for myself. My master loves me, and his missus loves me. And if the wenches run after me, itâs not my fault, thatâs flat.
AnĂsya
And youâll love me?
NikĂta
Embracing her. There, as you have ever been in my heartâ ââ âŠ
MatryĂłna
Enters, and crosses herself a long time before the icon. NikĂta and AnĂsya step apart. What I saw I didnât perceive, what I heard I didnât hearken to. Playing with the lass, eh? Wellâ âeven a calf will play. Why shouldnât one have some fun when oneâs young? But your master is out in the yard a-calling you, sonnie.
NikĂta
I only came to get the axe.
MatryĂłna
I know, sonnie, I know; them sort of axes are mostly to be found where the women are.
NikĂta
Stooping to pick up axe. I say, mother, is it true you want me to marry? As I reckon, thatâs quite unnecessary. Besides, Iâve got no wish that way.
MatryĂłna
Eh, honey! why should you marry? Go on as you are. Itâs all the old man. Youâd better go, sonnie,
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