The work was written by the great poet and writer in 1825, when Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin was in exile in the village of Mikhailovskoye. The author himself identified Boris Godunov as a "dramatic novel", genre affiliation is a play, the trait and tragedy are characteristic of the work. The tragedy tells about the events surrounding the reign of Boris Godunov from 1598 to 1605. The summary of the play on the actions of Literaguru will help you quickly master the literary material, remember the main events from the book, and the analysis will help to understand the plot.
Moscow Kremlin, February 20, 1598 Events occur after the death of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich. The people, led by Patriarch Job, asked boyar Boris Godunov to take the royal throne, but he refused, and together with his sister locked himself in the Novodevichy Convent, abandoning “all the things of the world,” for a whole month. At this time, noble boyars Shuisky and Vorotynsky were discussing what was happening, while Shuisky claimed that this was Godunov’s game - he could stand the time, convincing the people of his unwillingness to ascend the throne. The discerning boyar predicts that Boris Godunov will eventually agree to the kingdom, showing himself humble and honest. At the same time, they argue that it was “the chosen one of the people” who was profitable to kill the infant prince Dimitri, the last direct heir to the throne, and they also said that they themselves could rule, because they are representatives of the Rurik family.
As a result, events unfold according to Shuisky’s assumptions - the people on their knees begs Boris Godunov to take over the government, and he interrupts his imprisonment in the monastery and becomes the new king. He in his speech in the throne room speaks of humility and meekness with which he takes over the board. After her, Vorotynsky reminds Shuisky of how true his words were, to which the crafty boyar replies that he no longer remembers the subject of the conversation, showing himself as a court intriguer.
Miracles Monastery, 1603. In the cell, the young monk Grigory Otrepyev is talking with the old monk, father Pimen, who writes his chronicle. Waking up from a dream, Gregory connects his “strange dreams” with dissatisfaction with the monastic fate and argues that Pimen's youth was much more interesting to him. To this the old monk tells the monk that he found peace and bliss only in monastic life. He tells his interlocutor about the murder of Tsarevich Dimitry in Uglich, calling Boris Godunov the culprit, and also mentioning the age of the murdered person, who would be Otrepyev's peer. Pimen leaves his cell, and Gregory threatens Boris with a “punishment”, planning an adventure.
After the escape of Gregory from the monastery, the abbot Chudov monastery talks with the Patriarch of All Russia Job. The abbot talks about how Otrepyev got into the monks, and that he imagines himself to be the “future king of Russia.” An angry patriarch demands to find and punish the fugitive by reference.
Meanwhile, Tsar Boris Godunov, after meeting with a certain "sorcerer", discusses his rule. He has been on the throne for six years, but the kingdom did not bring him happiness. Godunov is surrounded by conspiracies and gossip, he is blamed for all the misfortunes, even the death of his sister. After the fire in Moscow, Godunov orders to build a new city, but he is accused of the very occurrence of the fire. The severity of his situation exacerbates his secret sin - de facto he admits to the murder of the prince.
Tavern on the Lithuanian border. Grigory Otrepiev is there with his companions, Misail and Varlaam. The fugitive heard from the mistress that they were looking for him. Meanwhile, bailiffs come in search of Otrepyev. They sit down to the travelers, gradually suspecting Misael as a fugitive. The bailiffs are looking for a literate person who could read the search letter, and Gregory himself is called up, while reading, replacing his signs with the features of Varlaam. The stunt failed, and Gregory has to escape from the inn through the window.
Moscow, Shuisky house. After dinner, one of the guests, Athanasius Pushkin, wants to tell the boyar important news: Gavrila, Pushkin’s nephew, wrote that the tsar’s son Dimitri is alive and hiding in the court of King Sigismund. He is in favor with the king himself and his courtiers. Shuisky and Pushkin talk about the possibility of a coup, but agree to remain silent.
The royal chambers. They report to Godunov that an ambassador from Krakow came to Pushkin, and that they had a long conversation with the owner at a visit to Shuisky. The tsar orders to seize the messenger and call Shuisky in order to call him to account, but the boyar guessed about the impending threat, and therefore he tells the tsar about the news that he learned, wanting to aggravate Godunov’s precarious state. The tsar is shocked, and therefore is asking Shuisky whether Demetrius was really killed, to which Shuisky convinces Godunov that the prince is dead.
Krakow. House of Chernikovsky. The impostor convinces the father of Chernikovsky, the representative of the Catholic Church, in his support, guaranteeing the adoption of his faith in Russia. A group of people arrives under the leadership of Gavrila Pushkin, whom False Dmitry also urges to join him, promising revenge and liberty to the disgraced Rusics persecuted by Boris.
The governor’s castle Mnisheka in Sambir. Vishnevetsky and Mnishek boast of their successes: Grigory, preparing to become king, and Mnishek’s daughter, Marina, fell in love with the impostor, hoping to become Queen. Meanwhile, False Dmitry spends time with Marina, revealing herself to her more and more, and eventually admits to being an impostor, to which Marina responds with disappointment and ridicule, which infuriates Gregory. He decides to send troops to the Moscow state immediately.
October 16, 1604. Lithuanian border. The impostor is not happy that he invited the Lithuanians to his native land, but justifies his actions with hatred for Godunov.
Tsar’s Duma. There is a meeting of boyars led by the king. The participants discuss the deposition of Chernigov by the Pretender, Godunov orders the boyar Shchelkalov to ensure the collection of troops. Boris’s rule is being undermined from within, because the news of the “return of the crown prince” is being successfully distributed among the people. The tsar orders Shuisky to deal with this, but Godunov’s authority is undermined - the boyars paid attention to Boris’s excitement during the meeting.
December 21, 1604. False Dmitry troops defeat Russian troops near Novgorod-Seversky.
Square in front of the cathedral in Moscow. People are waiting for the end of the mass: Grigory Otrepiev was declared anathema. On the porch is the holy fool-Nikolka, collecting alms. Children take money from him, laughing at him. The dinner is over, the tsar goes to the people, and the holy fool complains to the tsar about insults, asking the offenders to "kill, as you slaughtered the young prince", which the boyars are required to punish Nikolka. But Godunov, in response, asks the beggar to pray for him, to which the holy fool refuses, arguing his refusal to pray “for the King Herod”.
Sevsk. The impostor knocks out the necessary information from the captive nobleman Rozhnov and learns that people accept his “resurrection” favorably. Even the defeat at Sevsky is not final for him.
Moscow. The royal chambers. Boris Godunov with his boyars discusses the rout of enemy troops. The tsar considers the victory to be futile, because the Pretender has again gathered his army, and the tsar’s army has considerably weakened. Godunov wants to put Basmanov over the boyars, who is not distinguished by talents, but a rational person. Suddenly, the king dies, and before his death he blesses his descendant to the kingdom, Basmanov is appointed the executor of the will of the sovereign.
Rate. Pushkin arrives in the camp of the Russian army, sent there by False Dmitry, in order to convince Basmanov to go over to the Pretender, to which Basmanov refuses. Nevertheless, the boyar already anticipates defeat, knowing about court intrigues and seeing the seriousness of the threat that looms over the young Tsar Theodore, himself, and the state.
Frontal place. Pushkin delivers a speech to the people, convincing him to recognize False Dmitry as his king. People extol the Pretender and aspire to the Kremlin to end the "Godunov clan".
Kremlin. House of Borisov. Godunov’s children, Theodore and Ksenia, under the castle. People pity them, not considering them responsible for the "sins of their father." To them rise the boyars Mosalsky and Golitsyn, accompanied by archers. In the house there is a struggle, screams, after a people who are horrified by what is happening, Mosalsky comes out and announces the death of Godunov’s children “from poison”, demanding to glorify “Tsar Dimitry Ivanovich”.
