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galatee's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.25
Un drame historique précurseur du romantisme russe, qui joue sur un aller-retour constant entre vie rurale, cléricale et royale. La forme théâtrale me plaît rarement, même si ce choix de montrer le théâtre de l’histoire russe fait sens.
jasonfurman's review
5.0
I love Pushkin. And I quite liked the plays collected in this volume but they, or at least the main play Boris Godunov, are not his very best work. With the rather large caveat that I am not qualified to judge the quality of the language -- especially in translation -- it is hard to see how Pushkin could have become known as the Shakespeare of Russia solely on the strength Boris Godunov.
Boris Godunov consciously follows the tradition of Shakespeare's history plays, telling the story of the accession of Boris Godunov, the rise of the Pretender Dimitri, his gathering of Polish and Russian soldiers to invade Moscow, Boris Godunov's death, and Dimitri's triumph. It is an epic canvas stretching from Moscow to the provinces to Lithuania and Poland, featuring dozens of characters, and fast paced action that goes from short scene to short scene. Moscow itself feels almost like a character.
The biggest weakness is that Pushkin seems to have stuck quite literally to the actual history, which does not have quite the same drama as a classical play -- for example Godunov dies of natural causes before Dimitri reaches Moscow. The characters also lack depth and evolution and although there are a few minor comic scenes, there is nothing resembling Falstaff and his friends.
This volume also collects four "little tragedies," tiny one act gems that in some cases are only a few pages long. Mozart and Salieri imagines Salieri poisoning Mozart for the sake of art -- or specifically so that he Mozart does not eclipse and render null and void all of the lesser art produced by other composers. In a few places it calls for music and when I once saw it performed with the accompaniment of Mozart's music it was especially powerful. The Stone Guest, a compressed version of Don Juan, is also quite good. The other two seems lesser, although I cannot judge if they are redeemed by the verse.
None of this should be taken to say this is not excellent or worth reading (although Eugene Onegin and Pushkin's stories are worth reading first). To say a play falls short of Shakespeare is not exactly to dismiss it. Just that this is the most natural comparison, likely courted by Pushkin, so worth thinking a bit through that lens.
A few of the four "little tragedies" collected in this volume are
Boris Godunov consciously follows the tradition of Shakespeare's history plays, telling the story of the accession of Boris Godunov, the rise of the Pretender Dimitri, his gathering of Polish and Russian soldiers to invade Moscow, Boris Godunov's death, and Dimitri's triumph. It is an epic canvas stretching from Moscow to the provinces to Lithuania and Poland, featuring dozens of characters, and fast paced action that goes from short scene to short scene. Moscow itself feels almost like a character.
The biggest weakness is that Pushkin seems to have stuck quite literally to the actual history, which does not have quite the same drama as a classical play -- for example Godunov dies of natural causes before Dimitri reaches Moscow. The characters also lack depth and evolution and although there are a few minor comic scenes, there is nothing resembling Falstaff and his friends.
This volume also collects four "little tragedies," tiny one act gems that in some cases are only a few pages long. Mozart and Salieri imagines Salieri poisoning Mozart for the sake of art -- or specifically so that he Mozart does not eclipse and render null and void all of the lesser art produced by other composers. In a few places it calls for music and when I once saw it performed with the accompaniment of Mozart's music it was especially powerful. The Stone Guest, a compressed version of Don Juan, is also quite good. The other two seems lesser, although I cannot judge if they are redeemed by the verse.
None of this should be taken to say this is not excellent or worth reading (although Eugene Onegin and Pushkin's stories are worth reading first). To say a play falls short of Shakespeare is not exactly to dismiss it. Just that this is the most natural comparison, likely courted by Pushkin, so worth thinking a bit through that lens.
A few of the four "little tragedies" collected in this volume are
sarahcatherine's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
3.0
_cristina's review against another edition
4.0
oh, I shall come to feel such hatred for you,
as soon as passion’s shameful fever passes
as soon as passion’s shameful fever passes
redbluemoon's review against another edition
4.0
Update 13/5/19
Still really like this play!
Update 4/2/19
After rereading it to compare it with [b:Cinna|1424198|Cinna|Pierre Corneille|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1183482097s/1424198.jpg|1414637] by Corneille, [b:Richard III|42058|Richard III|William Shakespeare|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328043960s/42058.jpg|2913597] by Shakespeare and [b:The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui|580449|The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui|Bertolt Brecht|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388986948s/580449.jpg|2103413] by Bertold Brecht, I liked it even more. (and made some great parallels!)
Clearly, this play shows a vicious circle of corruption which pollutes the power of Russia and its tsars. The Russian people is depicted as credulous, and wanting vengeance for Dimitri's death; for them, Boris will always be tainted by the blood of the child he murdered. But, when, finally,
Moreover, it's clear that Grigori wants to become tsar, not because he believes he is Dimitri, or because he wants to save Russia from Boris, but because he wants to have fun while he is young, because he wants to live an adventurous life!
I also learnt maybe things about Russia and its History: I know next to nothing about it, and it's something that I'm really interested in!
_______________________________
I didn't know this part of Russia's History! Between treachery, intrigue, usurpation and hypocrisy, power is coveted, but doesn't always protects.
Still really like this play!
Update 4/2/19
After rereading it to compare it with [b:Cinna|1424198|Cinna|Pierre Corneille|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1183482097s/1424198.jpg|1414637] by Corneille, [b:Richard III|42058|Richard III|William Shakespeare|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328043960s/42058.jpg|2913597] by Shakespeare and [b:The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui|580449|The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui|Bertolt Brecht|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388986948s/580449.jpg|2103413] by Bertold Brecht, I liked it even more. (and made some great parallels!)
Clearly, this play shows a vicious circle of corruption which pollutes the power of Russia and its tsars. The Russian people is depicted as credulous, and wanting vengeance for Dimitri's death; for them, Boris will always be tainted by the blood of the child he murdered. But, when, finally,
Spoiler
the false Dimitri succeeds in reaching power, and becomes a tsar, he kills Boris's children, when they are innocent. Fiodor and Xenia, and their mother, die because he is afraid of their power? The people can't celebrate the false Dimitri anymore, because he did exactly what Boris did before I became a tsar: kill the tsarevitch, an innocent and promising boy.Moreover, it's clear that Grigori wants to become tsar, not because he believes he is Dimitri, or because he wants to save Russia from Boris, but because he wants to have fun while he is young, because he wants to live an adventurous life!
I also learnt maybe things about Russia and its History: I know next to nothing about it, and it's something that I'm really interested in!
_______________________________
I didn't know this part of Russia's History! Between treachery, intrigue, usurpation and hypocrisy, power is coveted, but doesn't always protects.
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