Discovering Russian Literature discussion

I just finished this a few hours ago and really couldn't understand why Pushkin rushed the ending. Throughout the entire story he takes his time presenting small details about each character to make them take on a new form...

Is this how all of his stories end? abruptly cutting short and stating the obvious?

Valerie, I can't tell because I haven't read this story. By Pushkin I read last year The Captain's Daughter I enjoyed it (I've always had a thing for classic adventure stories) It was, in my opinion, a fun read. It is a novella more than a short story (around 100 pages) and I found it very easy-fast reading because lot of action happened, more than complex and developed characters.
I don't know if The Queen of Spades is published in Spain, but I'll check or try to read online. I'm still really interested in reading Pushkin's Eugene Onegin

I have a collection of short fiction (more like novella) in pdf files. I was trying to link them on here so everyone could read them but sadly I couldn't.

If you're interested in giving it a chance "en anglais" (forgive me, I don't know a single word of Spanish...), then I culd try to send it to you, or anyone else interested :)

Valerie, the reader of The Queen of Spades should keep in mind that the author is mainly a POET, and he switched over to prose during the last years of his life. His story is " the masterpiece of conciseness". I think Pushkin prevents us from being "satiated" with his works, hence there are not many words, but there are some meaningful ideas presented with elegant classic style. I read his works for the first time, when I was a school student, and craved for continuation of his stories - so I was marvelled! Rushing the ending is quite justified, for it's an element of the style.

I've just checked and the stories by Pushkin, in different editions, complete stories or just Queen of Spades are published in Spain. It was just that Captain's Daughter was the only one available in library, where I found it.
I'll keep it in mind next time I visit bookstore, but I admit I think I'm more interested in reading the "novel in poetry form" Eugene Onegin than his prose.
I agree with Natalie about Pushkin's conciseness. That's what I felt reading Captain's Daughter, so many things happen is such short piece!

Antia, Eugeny Onegin is one of the best works by Pushkin, but I can't imagine, how it's possible to translate the poetry. I've heard a lot of negative opinions on the translations of this novel. The author's irony, romanticism - all they might have been lost. I read it only in Russian, so I can't judge...

Natalie wrote: "Antia, Eugeny Onegin is one of the best works by Pushkin, but I can't imagine, how it's possible to translate the poetry. I've heard a lot of negative opinions on the translations of this novel. Th..."

Yeah, I understand poetry is hard to translate.. Next time I visit the library I'll give at least a look at the edition available. I know it's a chritical edition, I think even billigual. It won't do much to me because I can't read russian, but I know it belongs to a good publishing house focused on classics, so I think I can trust. I'll read at least few pages to see how I feel about it.
I watched a film based on it years ago, I just remember it was an english film with actor Ralph Fiennes as Onegin, but honestly.. I don't remember much of the plot.

That makes a lot of sense now. In my version at the beginning of each "chapter" there was a blurp of poetry or saying. I was curious how most of them were in French though. Of course, keeping in mind that in the actual story Pushkin presents ties to Paris.

I've noticed that with translation you sometimes can't rely heavily word for word, for various reasons of course.

Valerie wrote: "That makes a lot of sense now. In my version at the beginning of each "chapter" there was a blurp of poetry or saying. I was curious how most of them were in French though. Of course, keeping in mi..."
Pushkin favoured the development of the Russian language, and it was a difficult task, as most nobles prefered speaking French.
The first real manifestations of the influence of France in Russia date from Russia's first political opening toward Europe, undertaken by Peter the Great (r. 1682 - 1725) and further advanced by Catherine II (r. 1762 - 1796). The adoption of the French language as the language of conversation and correspondence by the nobility encouraged access to French literature. The nobility's preference for French governesses and tutors contributed to the spread of French culture and educational methods among the aristocracy. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Russian nobility still preferred French to Russian for everyday use.

I'm going to switch our next short story thread to this one. So use this for the discussions. New readers: there will be spoilers in this thread.

If you're reading for the first time or need to go through the text again, for more sites please check the following link.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23058

I read the story. It's beautiful. Just wondering if the title is referred to the old Countess.

This is something I found about the general meaning about the card: Queen of Spades.

Representing the energy of a Queen, this feminine power was traditionally known as a widow, crone or divorcee. In modern times, she can be viewed as a model of self-sufficiency, independence and intelligence. She often has extremely high standards due to her subtle sensitivities, which can be perceived by those around her as being critical or hard to please. Her true motive is to refine the world, to upgrade peoples' understanding -- so that everyone can have the space they need to become fully themselves.

She is not interested in conforming. She is too intelligent to be confined to the role of housewife or nursemaid, although she is perfectly competent in those areas. She chooses her associations (or her solitude), and is seldom caught up in dependent relationships -- at least not for long. Her intelligence is not always the most comfortable to be around, but she can be counted on to see through superficiality and point to the truth of a situation.

I read it few days ago. Looking at the length I thought it's a story like "The Little Orphan" but this one is more complex with subplots and flashbacks.

I think the countess is bossy and egotistical. I think she represents the, dying Russia of the aristocrats. I read it is a parody. And reading the story I understood it. Pushkin ridicules the sentimental romance writing of his day. Like he leads the reader to believe that Lizaveta and Hermann will fall in love and marry, he reveals that Hermann is merely using Lizaveta to gain access to the countess and her card secret. Hermann will do almost anything to learn the secret, even woo the old woman.

I just finished the story. This was my first time reading anything by Pushkin and there were some elements to the story of which I really enjoyed.

I have to say that the title of the story had intrigued me from the start. The spades have always been my favorite card suit. And I actually use the name "Queen of Spades" as a username on another forum.

I also have a fascination with Saint Germain so the reference made to him at the start of the story caught my attention right away. I was not expecting the supernatural aspects of the story. I really appreciated the way this story had that element of the bizarre in which it was almost like a horror story. This story would have made a really good episode of "The Twilight Zone"

At first I did find the way in which the end of the story came so abruptly and did feel as if it was suddenly rushed as someone mentioned before. In contrast to the way in which the rest of the story does slowly build up and sets up the various different characters and than it suddenly ends at the point of the dramatic height of the story. But for a story of this nature, this sort of ending really works and is a common device in these sort of tales of the unexpected and the bizarre.

Natalie wrote: I think Pushkin prevents us from being "satiated" with his works, hence there are not many words, but there are some meaningful ideas presented with elegant classic style.

I think this is very true in reading this story. There are things which are left out which left me wondering and wanting to no more, and much that is left unsaid. When the Countess reappeared as a ghost before Hermann and stated that she was forced to come against her will, I kept wanting to know who/what sent her. I could not help but to wonder if it was Saint Germain himself, since he is revealed as the one secret to her or if it was some divine power which sent her upon the task. Or was her claiming that she was sent against her will another of her deceptions for considering she refused to give him the secret in life, and he himself caused her death, he may have been suspicious if she than returned to him to give him what he sought.

The end itself while in a since is gratifying in seeing Hermann come to his fall, and the last stroke of the revenge of the countess from beyond the grave, on the other hand leaves the lives of so many of the characters whom were pretend to us left hanging in the unknown. It does leave you wanting more and to know what happens next.

Silver wrote: "I just finished the story. This was my first time reading anything by Pushkin and there were some elements to the story of which I really enjoyed.

I have to say that the title of the story had ..."

A nice interpretation! There are things unexplained. He doesn't say whether the strange occurrences are paranormal phenomena or fabrication by the grandson (that's a possibility) or results of heavy drinking and undergoing a lot of stress. May be it's all of them or may be it's one of these. I still wonder whether the ghost and the winking queen of spades are real or hallucinations or both.

I also found Saint Germain to be mysterious. Like he has unexplained powers or something. So makes us wonder if the the card strategy an invention of an otherworldly force. It's a great story, made me even feel sorry for Hermann in the end.

Silver wrote: "also have a fascination with Saint Germain so the reference made to him at the start of the story caught my attention right away. I was not expecting the supernatural aspects of the story. ..."

In the introduction to my book, it's said that Pushkin based some characters on real-life people. Countess Anna is a Princess Natalia Petrovna Golitsyna (1741-1837?), who came from a distinguished family, lived in central St. Petersburg. Her husband was Vladimir Borisovich Golitsyn (1731-1798).

Then St. Germain's character is based on a real-life person with the same name. St. Germain, a mysterious adventurer said to be gifted with extrasensory perception and other amazing powers, including the ability to pass through walls. He spoke many languages, exhibited a mastery of history and chemistry, composed music, and claimed to know how to turn base metals into gold. One story about him maintains that he was the founder of freemasonry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_of...

All of that makes the story more and more bizarre.

Shanez wrote: He doesn't say whether the strange occurrences are paranormal phenomena or fabrication by the grandson (that's a possibility) or results of heavy drinking and undergoing a lot of stress. May be it's all of them or may be it's one of these...."

The introduction of Saint Germain at the beginning of the story, in connection with the countess and the trick of the cards made me inclined to believe that the apparition of the Countess was a supernatural event.

As Saint Germain was a man associated with the occult, the practice of alchemy, and according to some myth, it was believed that he discovered the way to immorality. So this did hint at a supernatural aspect to the story. I think it is another ironic twist as well. For Saint Germain was a historical, real life human being, yet at the same time he also became a figure of lore so the mention of him does give one an instant inclination of otherworldly events, and yet he was a flesh and blood human.

So his presence does plant certain ideas in the minds of the reader, but there could be another realistic story behind the mystical story which we are presented. It could be that Hermann was driven by his obsession and his drinking, and toward the end the guilt of his own conscious.

Or the Countess may have truly had her last revenge. I see the winking Queen Spades at the end as being the Countess herself having the last laugh.

The other thing which I liked about the story is the reverse roles which the Countess and Hermann seem to play against each other. In the beginning Hermann starts out as a man who never touches cards, and doesn't gamble but when he has what seems to be this guarantee of winning and wealth dangling before him, gambling lead to his ultimate downfall.

The Countess on the other hand was an avid gambler until the moment in which she was told of the secret of the cards, at which point she is forced to give up gambling.

Silver wrote: "The other thing which I liked about the story is the reverse roles which the Countess and Hermann seem to play against each other. In the beginning Hermann starts out as a man who never touches cards, and doesn't gamble but when he has what seems to be this guarantee of winning and wealt..."

Good observation! Thanks for everyone's information.