In literature a drama genre deserves your attention. Dramas are usually called plays. Every person is made up of two parts: good and evil. Due to life circumstances, the human reveals one or another side of his nature. In drama we can see the full range of emotions : it can be love, jealousy, hatred, fear, etc. The best drama books are full of dialogue. This type of drama is one of the oldest forms of storytelling and has existed almost since the beginning of humanity. Drama genre - these are events that involve a lot of people. People most often suffer in this genre, because they are selfish. People always think to themselves first, they want have a benefit.The Light Shines in Darkness by graf Tolstoy Leo (the best novels to read .txt) đ
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MARY IVĂNOVNA. But what of it? We all know that!
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. Well, if we know it we cannot go on living as we are doing, for our whole lifeâfar from being a fulfilment of His willâis, on the contrary, a continual transgression of it.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. But how is it a transgressionâwhen we live without doing harm to anyone?
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. But are we doing no harm? Such an outlook on life is just like that of those labourers. Why we âŠ
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Yes, I know the parableâand that he paid them all equally.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH [after a pause] No, it's not that. But do, Mary, consider one thingâthat we have only one life, and can live it well, or can waste it.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. I can't think and argue! I don't sleep at night; I am nursing. I have to manage the whole house, and instead of helping me, you say things to me that I don't understand.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. Mary!
MARY IVĂNOVNA. And now these visitors.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. No, let us come to an understanding. [Kisses her] Shan't we?
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Yes, only be like you used to be.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. I can't, but now listen.
The sound of bells and an approaching vehicle are heard.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. I can't nowâthey have arrived! I must go to meet them. [Exit behind corner of house. StyĂłpa and LyĂșba follow her].
VĂNYA. We shan't abandon it; we must finish the game later. Well, LyĂșba, what now?
LYĂBA [seriously] No nonsense, please.
AlexĂĄndra IvĂĄnovna, with her husband and Lisa, come out on to the verandah. Nicholas IvĂĄnovich paces up and down wrapt in thought.
ALEXĂNDRA IVĂNOVNA. Well, have you convinced her?
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. AlĂna, what is going on between us is very important. Jokes are out of place. It is not I who am convincing her, but life, truth, God: they are convincing herâtherefore she cannot help being convinced, if not to-day then to-morrow, if not to-morrow ⊠It is awful that no one ever has time. Who is it that has just come?
PETER SEMYĂNOVICH. It's the CheremshĂĄnovs. Catiche CheremshĂĄnov, whom I have not met for eighteen years. The last time I saw her we sang together: âLa ci darem la mano.â [Sings].
ALEXĂNDRA IVĂNOVNA. Please don't interrupt us, and don't imagine that I shall quarrel with Nicholas. I am telling the truth. [To Nicholas IvĂĄnovich] I am not joking at all, but it seemed to me strange that you wanted to convince Mary just when she had made up her mind to have it out with you!
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. Very well, very well. They are coming. Please tell Mary I shall be in my room. [Exit].
Curtain.
In the same country-house, a week later. The scene represents a large dining-hall. The table is laid for tea and coffee, with a samovĂĄr. A grand piano and a music-stand are by the wall. Mary IvĂĄnovna, the Princess and Peter SemyĂłnovich are seated at the table.
PETER SEMYĂNOVICH. Ah, Princess, it does not seem so long ago since you were singing Rosina's part, and I ⊠though nowadays I am not fit even for a Don Basilio.
PRINCESS. Our children might do the singing now, but times have changed.
PETER SEMYĂNOVICH. Yes, these are matter-of-fact times ⊠But your daughter plays really seriously and well. Where are the young folk? Not asleep still, surely?
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Yes, they went out riding by moonlight last night, and returned very late. I was nursing baby and heard them.
PETER SEMYĂNOVICH. And when will my better-half be back? Have you sent the coachman for her?
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Yes, they went for her quite early; I expect she will be here soon.
PRINCESS. Did AlexĂĄndra IvĂĄnovna really go on purpose to fetch Father GerĂĄsim?
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Yes, the idea occurred to her yesterday, and she was off at once.
PRINCESS. Quelle Ă©nergie! Je l'admire.[26]
PETER SEMYĂNOVICH. Oh, pour ceci, ce n'est pas ça qui nous manque.[27] [Takes out a cigar] But I will go and have a smoke and take a stroll through the park with the dogs till the young people are up. [Exit].
PRINCESS. I don't know, dear Mary IvĂĄnovna, whether I am right, but it seems to me that you take it all too much to heart. I understand him. He is in a very exalted state of mind. Well, even supposing he does give to the poor? Don't we anyway think too much about ourselves?
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Yes, if that were all, but you don't know him; nor all he is after. It is not simply helping the poor, but a complete revolution, the destruction of everything.
PRINCESS. I do not wish to intrude into your family life, but if you will allow me âŠ
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Not at allâI look upon you as one of the familyâespecially now.
PRINCESS. I should advise you to put your demands to him openly and frankly, and to come to an agreement as to the limits âŠ
MARY IVĂNOVNA [excitedly] There are no limits! He wants to give away everything. He wishes me now, at my age, to become a cook and a washerwoman.
PRINCESS. No, is it possible! That is extraordinary.
MARY IVĂNOVNA [takes a letter out of her pocket] We are by ourselves and I am glad to tell you all about it. He wrote me this letter yesterday. I will read it to you.
PRINCESS. What? He lives in the same house with you, and writes you letters? How strange!
MARY IVĂNOVNA. No, I understand him there. He gets so excited when he speaks. I have for some time past felt anxious about his health.
PRINCESS. What did he write?
MARY IVĂNOVNA. This [reading] âYou reproach me for upsetting our former way of life, and for not giving you anything new in exchange, and not saying how I should like to arrange our family affairs. When we begin to discuss it we both get excited, and that's why I am writing to you. I have often told you already why I cannot continue to live as we have been doing; and I cannot, in a letter, show you why that is so, nor why we must live in accord to Christ's teaching. You can do one of two things: either believe in the truth and voluntarily go with me, or believe in me and trusting yourself entirely to meâfollow me.â [Stops reading] I can do neither the one nor the other. I do not consider it necessary to live as he wishes us to. I have to consider the children, and I cannot rely on him. [Reads] âMy plan is this: We shall give our land to the peasants, retaining only 135 acres besides the orchards and kitchen-garden and the meadow by the river. We will try to work ourselves, but will not force one another, nor the children. What we keep should still bring us in about ÂŁ50 a year.â
PRINCESS. Live on ÂŁ50 a yearâwith seven children! Is it possible!
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Well, here follows his whole plan: to give up the house and have it turned into a school, and ourselves to live in the gardener's two-roomed cottage.
PRINCESS. Yes, now I begin to see that there is something abnormal about it. What did you answer?
MARY IVĂNOVNA. I told him I couldn't; that were I alone I would follow him anywhere, but I have the children.⊠Only think! I am still nursing little Nicholas. I tell him we can't break up everything like that. After all, was that what I agreed to when I married? And now I am no longer young or strong. Think what it has meant to bear and nurse nine children.
PRINCESS. I never dreamed that things had gone so far.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. That is how things are and I don't know what will happen. Yesterday he excused the DmĂtrovka peasants their rent; and he wants to give the land to them altogether.
PRINCESS. I do not think you should allow it. It is your duty to protect your children. If he cannot deal with the estate, let him hand it over to you.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. But I don't want that.
PRINCESS. You ought to take it for the children's sake. Let him transfer the property to you.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. My sister AlexĂĄndra told him so; but he says he has no right to do it; and that the land belongs to those who work it, and that it is his duty to give it to the peasants.
PRINCESS. Yes, now I see that the matter is far more serious than I thought.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. And the Priest! The Priest takes his side, too.
PRINCESS. Yes, I noticed that yesterday.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. That's why my sister has gone to Moscow. She wanted to talk things over with a lawyer, but chiefly she went to fetch Father GerĂĄsim that he may bring his influence to bear.
PRINCESS. Yes, I do not think that Christianity calls upon us to ruin our families.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. But he will not believe even Father GerĂĄsim. He is so firm; and when he talks, you know, I can't answer him. That's what is so terrible, that it seems to me he is right.
PRINCESS. That is because you love him.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. I don't know, but it's terrible, and everything remains unsettledâand that is Christianity!
Enter Nurse.
NURSE. Will you please come. Little Nicholas has woke up and is crying for you.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Directly! When I am excited he gets stomach ache. Coming, coming!
Nicholas IvĂĄnovich enters by another door, with a paper in his hand.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. No, this is impossible!
MARY IVĂNOVNA. What has happened?
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. Why, Peter is to be imprisoned on account of some wretched pine-trees of ours.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. How's that?
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. Quite simply! He cut it down, and they informed the Justice of Peace, and he has sentenced him to three months' imprisonment. His wife has come about it.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Well, and can't anything be done?
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. Not now. The only way is not to possess any forest. And I will not possess any. What is one to do? I shall, however, go and see whether what we have done can be remedied. [Goes out on to the verandah and meets BorĂs and LyĂșba].
LYĂBA. Good morning, papa [kisses him], where are you going?
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. I have just returned from the village and am going back again. They are just dragging a hungry man to prison because he âŠ
LYĂBA. I suppose it's Peter?
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. Yes, Peter. [Exit, followed by Mary IvĂĄnovna].
LYĂBA [sits down in front of samovĂĄr] Will you have tea or coffee?
BORĂS. I don't mind.
LYĂBA. It's always the same, and I see no end to it!
BORĂS. I don't understand him. I know the people are poor and ignorant and must be helped, but not by encouraging thieves.
LYĂBA. But how?
BORĂS. By our whole activity. By using all our knowledge in their service, but not by sacrificing one's own life.
LYĂBA. And papa says, that that is just what is wanted.
BORĂS. I don't understand. One can serve the people without ruining one's own life. That is the way I want to arrange my life. If only you âŠ
LYĂBA. I want what you want, and am not afraid of anything.
BORĂS. How about those earringsâthat dress âŠ
LYĂBA. The earrings can be sold and the dresses must be different, but one need not make oneself quite a guy.
BORĂS. I should like to have another talk with
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