Dubrovsky

The organization chart of a government shapes like a pyramid. The tip of the pyramid is occupied by decision-making group that includes a president and his ministers and consultants. Growing in number and spreading downward, all other officials are located. Policies and directives also follow the same direction and procedure. If those on the top of the pyramid advocate democratic rules, that rule will spread out to the rest of the system democratically. Likewise, a dictatorial regime is infected from the top to the bottom and in the same manner. 19^th century Russia was ruled by a dictator and every province and little town was ruled by a despot commander. The smallest community, that is a family, follows the same order.

This is depicted in the minute detail by Pushkin. Dubrovsky is a tale of a society where dictatorship is the accepted system, even by those subjugated. There is also a comparison made between the dictator and the one who does not value money and power as much. Interestingly, tyrants survive and do not end in a punished and regretful condition as some romance novels predict, and subjects suffer to death! That has been the bitter fact throughout the history of monarchy in Russia, and anywhere else on the globe. The story was written by Alexander Pushkin in the early 19^th century.

Alexander Pushkin lived from 1799 to 1837. In the short life he produced 11 narrative poems, one verse novel, 6 dramas, 16 pros, and 6 fairy tales (source: Wikipedia). He is best known by his novel "Yevgeny Onegin". He was exiled twice for his criticism of the government, and though he was pardoned by the Tsar, Pushkin spent last years of his life under strict secret police control and censorship. His last and unfinished novel (according to his biography, although other dates are recorded at the end of the story) portrayed a picture of early nineteenth century Russia, where feudalism and aristocracy were basic fabrics of the society. Pushkin narrates his story in such a society, where each dictator (with the exception of the Tsar) is a servant to his master dictator. Even a dictator’s children are treated with iron fists. A family of a person who does not enjoy wealth and power as much, is also depicted as a comparison. A short abridgment of the story is followed.

Kiril Petrowitch Troyekorroff is a gruff sovereign who makes all his subjects shutter on sight when angry, as his punishments are harsh and brutal, mentioning of which creates fear among the peasants. Andre Guavrilowitch Dubrovsky, a peacefull and kindhearted person whose aim is peace and tranquility, has a village next to and neighboring Kiril Petrovitch. They have known each other since youth, and enjoy hunting and socializing with each other. Andre is honest and straight forward. He is the only person in the vicinity who can oppose Kiril’s points, or challenge him. Kiril Petrovitch governs a large estate, a miniature Russia, with all that Tsar enjoys in his kingdom, but in a smaller version. He has a house for his dogs where he keeps about 500 hunting dogs. Before hunting, he takes his companions to the dogs’ house so they can admire his breeds. In response to Petrovitch’s question about the dogs, Dubrovsky responds that he does not think Petrovitch’s servants have such living standard as his dogs do. One of Petrovitch’s subjects who is offended about comment turns to Dubrovsky and says that some aristocrats would not mind to live in one of those houses, enjoying plenty of food and a cozy home. It is interesting to mention that no matter how much Petrovitch’s subjects dislike him, they always take his side against others. Dubrovsky is offended by such comparison and being insulted, leaves Petrovitch’s estate. Petrovitch demands him to go back, and in return, Dubrovsky sends him a letter, asking for an apology. The relationship between the two become sour, and every day it gets worse. In a rush of revenge, Kiril Petrovitch decides to use his influence to crush his old friend, turned into a foe. He orders the judge to find a way to get a judgment that would strip Dubrovsky off his property and annex it to Perovitch’s. He also orders the police to carry on the judgment. This is too much for Dubrovsky to handle and he falls sick. From this moment, peasants living in Dubrovsky’s property show up in the novel, beginning with his son’s nanny. The nanny sends a letter to Dubrovsky’s son asking him to attend his sick father.

The son, Vladimir, becomes the main character in the novel after his father, who cannot bear the disaster befallen over him, passes away. Peasants inform Vladimir that all civil servants are at Petrovitch’s service and his father had no legal remedy. Since the law is against Vladimir and he becomes homeless, he burns the house and becomes a bandit. Some villagers who fear Petrovitch, or do not want to be under his command, join the bandit’s gang.

It is interesting to point out that when the law is in the hands of the rich and powerful, being an outlaw becomes heroic! In this story, rich people hate Vladimir, since he steals from them (in a Robin Hood style) and the poor consider him a hero. The story gets more romantic when Vladimir finds his way into Petrovitch’s house (using a stolen identity) and becomes his daughter’s teacher. The rest of the story is about Vladimir and Petrovitch’s daughter, Maria kirilovna (Masha), and their love affair. Petrovitch, the dictator, inconsiderate of his daughter’s wishes plans to wed her to an old prince. Therefore, anyone around the dictator with lesser power is slaved to his desires, even family members. At the end, the dictator wins and serfs stay in their positions and peasants born in peasants family inherit their status as well. The glorious moments of the novel shows every once in a while through humanity and love and forgiveness. But wealth and power are above all, and in order to defeat it one has to become a bandit! It seems that Pushkin is not trying to preach, but to show the unjust society that he knew, as the way it was when wrote about it, and as it had always been before him. Today, we here about the occupation movements, and we ponder the size and the strength of people in uprooting injustice.