What I am about to tell you about, is a book which I
read for the first time in the 3rd grade.
It's a book that I valued greatly.
Pushkin was a writer who pursued his studies at the Imperial College of Tsarskoïe-Sélo.
He married Nathalie Gontcharov and had three children with her. Nathalie fell in love with Georges d'Anthès. Provoked into a duel by Pushkin, d' Anthès fatally wounded him. Pushkin died several days after the duel - at the age of 38! Several months before his death, he wrote his final work : La fille du capitaine (The Captain's Daughter).
André Pétrovitch Griniov sends his son, Pierre Pétrovitch Griniov, a
young officer, to the Bélogorsk fortress. Caught in a snowstorm, he asks a young man with a long black beard and sparkling eyes to guide him to the inn. To thank him, "his honour" (meaning Pierre Pétrovitch Griniov) offers him his hareskin jacket despite the objections of Savélitch ( his servant and confidante)
Arriving at the Bélogorsk fortress, a miserable village surrounded by a wooden palisade, Griniov introduces himself to Captain Mironov. He is warmly welcomed by the Captain's family, and becomes friends with Chvabrine who soon becomes his rival for the affections of Maria Ivanovna, the Captain's daughter.
As the tale unfolds, we meet Pougatchov, a Cossack who has been sent by Tsar Pierre III. He has gathered together a band of brigands to seize the fortress. Maria Ivanovna does not have time to flee before the
fortress is taken. Captain Mironov is hanged and his wife killed. When it is Pierre Griniov's turn Savélitch begs Pougatchov to spare his master. Pierre is therefore saved. Savélitch notices the
strange resemblance between the bearded young man who helped them in the snowstorm and Pougatchov. They are one and the same! A strange friendship is born between Pougatchov and the young officer.
Pierre must rescue his beloved Maria who is now at the Pope's residence. Will he succeed in saving her from Pougatchov 's hands? And will her parents give their blessing for them to marry? Will the strange relationship between Pierre and the Cossack create prejudice against them?
I hope that this will encourage those who have not read this text to do so and those who already have to re-read it.
More reviews about the The Captain's Daughter (translation)