The Captain's Daughter
Encyclopedia
The Captain's Daughter is a historical novel
by the Russia
n writer
Alexander Pushkin. It was first published in 1836
in the fourth issue of the literary journal Sovremennik
. The novel is a romanticized account of Pugachev's Rebellion
in 1773-1774.
. En route Pyotr gets lost in a blizzard, but is rescued by a mysterious man. As a token of his gratitude, Pyotr gives the guide his hareskin jacket.
Arriving in Orenburg, Pyotr reports to his commanding officer and is assigned to serve at Belogorsky fortress under captain Ivan Mironov. The fortress is nothing more than a fence around a village, and the captain's wife Vasilisa is really in charge. Pyotr befriends his fellow officer Shvabrin, who is banished here after a duel resulted in the death of his opponent. When Pyotr dines with the Mironov family, he meets their daughter Masha and falls in love with her. This causes a rift between Pyotr and Shvabrin, who has been turned down by Masha. When Shvabrin insults Masha's honor, Pyotr and Shvabrin duel and Pyotr is injured. Pyotr asks his father's consent to marry Masha, but gets turned down.
Not much later, the fortress is besieged by Yemelyan Pugachev
, who claims to be emperor Peter III
. The cossacks stationed at the fortress join the forces of Pugachev, and he takes the fortress easily. He demands that Captain Mironov swears an oath of allegiance to him, and when denied, hangs the Captain and kills his wife. When it is Pyotr's turn, Shvabrin suddenly appears to have defected as well, and upon his advice orders Pyotr to be hanged. However, his life is suddenly spared as Pugachev turns out to be the guide that rescued Pyotr from the blizzard.
The next evening, Pyotr and Pugachev talk in private. Pyotr impresses Pugachev with his sincerity that he cannot serve him. Pugachev decides to let Pyotr go to Orenburg. He has to relay a message to the Governor that Pugachev will be marching on his city. The fortress is to be left under the command of Shvabrin, who takes advantage of the situation by forcing Masha to marry him. Pyotr rushes off to prevent this marriage, but is captured by Pugachev's troops. After explaining the situation to Pugachev, they both ride off to the fortress.
After Masha has been freed, she and Pyotr take off to his father's estate, but they are intercepted by the army. Pyotr decides to stay with the army and sends Masha to his father. The war with Pugachev goes on, and Pyotr gets to visit his family, only to find them captured by peasants, who have joined Pugachev's rebellion. Pyotr is imprisoned as well, and the situation worsens when Shvabrin also arrives. Just as Pyotr is about to be hanged, the army arrives and saves him. Pyotr rejoins the army, but at the moment of Pugachev's defeat, he is arrested for having friendly relations with Pugachev. During his interrogation, Shvabrin testifies that Pyotr is a traitor. Not willing to drag Masha into court, Pyotr is unable to repudiate this accusation and receives the death penalty. Although Empress Catherine the Great spares his life, Pyotr remains a prisoner.
Masha understands why Pyotr wasn't able to defend himself and decides to go to Saint Petersburg, to present a petition to the empress. In Tsarskoe Selo, she meets a lady and details her plan to see the Empress on Pyotr's behalf. The lady refuses at first, saying that Pyotr is a traitor, but Masha is able to explain all the circumstances. Soon, Masha receives an invitation to see the Empress, and is shocked to recognize her as the lady she had talked to earlier. The Empress has become convinced of Pyotr's innocence and has ordered his release. Pyotr attends the beheading of Pugachev, and marries Masha.
César Cui
adapted the novel to a libretto
for his opera of the same name
. Several films have been made as well:
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
by the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
Alexander Pushkin. It was first published in 1836
1836 in literature
The year 1836 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, or, The Hidden Secrets of a Nun's Life in a Convent Exposed *Hans Christian Andersen - The Little Mermaid...
in the fourth issue of the literary journal Sovremennik
Sovremennik
Sovremennik was a Russian literary, social and political magazine, published in St. Petersburg in 1836-1866. It came out four times a year in 1836-1843 and once a month after that...
. The novel is a romanticized account of Pugachev's Rebellion
Pugachev's Rebellion
Pugachev's Rebellion of 1774-75 was the principal revolt in a series of popular rebellions that took place in Russia after Catherine II seized power in 1762...
in 1773-1774.
Plot
Pyotr Andreyich Grinyov is the only surviving child of a retired army officer. When Pyotr turns 17, his father sends him into military service in OrenburgOrenburg
Orenburg is a city on the Ural River and the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast, Russia. It lies southeast of Moscow, very close to the border with Kazakhstan. Population: 546,987 ; 549,361 ; Highest point: 154.4 m...
. En route Pyotr gets lost in a blizzard, but is rescued by a mysterious man. As a token of his gratitude, Pyotr gives the guide his hareskin jacket.
Arriving in Orenburg, Pyotr reports to his commanding officer and is assigned to serve at Belogorsky fortress under captain Ivan Mironov. The fortress is nothing more than a fence around a village, and the captain's wife Vasilisa is really in charge. Pyotr befriends his fellow officer Shvabrin, who is banished here after a duel resulted in the death of his opponent. When Pyotr dines with the Mironov family, he meets their daughter Masha and falls in love with her. This causes a rift between Pyotr and Shvabrin, who has been turned down by Masha. When Shvabrin insults Masha's honor, Pyotr and Shvabrin duel and Pyotr is injured. Pyotr asks his father's consent to marry Masha, but gets turned down.
Not much later, the fortress is besieged by Yemelyan Pugachev
Yemelyan Pugachev
Yemelyan Ivanovich Pugachov , was a pretender to the Russian throne who led a great Cossack insurrection during the reign of Catherine II...
, who claims to be emperor Peter III
Peter III of Russia
Peter III was Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762. He was very pro-Prussian, which made him an unpopular leader. He was supposedly assassinated as a result of a conspiracy led by his wife, who succeeded him to the throne as Catherine II.-Early life and character:Peter was born in Kiel, in...
. The cossacks stationed at the fortress join the forces of Pugachev, and he takes the fortress easily. He demands that Captain Mironov swears an oath of allegiance to him, and when denied, hangs the Captain and kills his wife. When it is Pyotr's turn, Shvabrin suddenly appears to have defected as well, and upon his advice orders Pyotr to be hanged. However, his life is suddenly spared as Pugachev turns out to be the guide that rescued Pyotr from the blizzard.
The next evening, Pyotr and Pugachev talk in private. Pyotr impresses Pugachev with his sincerity that he cannot serve him. Pugachev decides to let Pyotr go to Orenburg. He has to relay a message to the Governor that Pugachev will be marching on his city. The fortress is to be left under the command of Shvabrin, who takes advantage of the situation by forcing Masha to marry him. Pyotr rushes off to prevent this marriage, but is captured by Pugachev's troops. After explaining the situation to Pugachev, they both ride off to the fortress.
After Masha has been freed, she and Pyotr take off to his father's estate, but they are intercepted by the army. Pyotr decides to stay with the army and sends Masha to his father. The war with Pugachev goes on, and Pyotr gets to visit his family, only to find them captured by peasants, who have joined Pugachev's rebellion. Pyotr is imprisoned as well, and the situation worsens when Shvabrin also arrives. Just as Pyotr is about to be hanged, the army arrives and saves him. Pyotr rejoins the army, but at the moment of Pugachev's defeat, he is arrested for having friendly relations with Pugachev. During his interrogation, Shvabrin testifies that Pyotr is a traitor. Not willing to drag Masha into court, Pyotr is unable to repudiate this accusation and receives the death penalty. Although Empress Catherine the Great spares his life, Pyotr remains a prisoner.
Masha understands why Pyotr wasn't able to defend himself and decides to go to Saint Petersburg, to present a petition to the empress. In Tsarskoe Selo, she meets a lady and details her plan to see the Empress on Pyotr's behalf. The lady refuses at first, saying that Pyotr is a traitor, but Masha is able to explain all the circumstances. Soon, Masha receives an invitation to see the Empress, and is shocked to recognize her as the lady she had talked to earlier. The Empress has become convinced of Pyotr's innocence and has ordered his release. Pyotr attends the beheading of Pugachev, and marries Masha.
Adaptations
ComposerComposer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
César Cui
César Cui
César Antonovich Cui was a Russian of French and Lithuanian descent. His profession was as an army officer and a teacher of fortifications; his avocational life has particular significance in the history of music, in that he was a composer and music critic; in this sideline he is known as a...
adapted the novel to a libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
for his opera of the same name
The Captain's Daughter (opera)
The Captain's Daughter is an opera in four acts by César Cui, composed during 1907-1909...
. Several films have been made as well:
- 1947 - La figlia del capitanoLa figlia del capitanoLa figlia del capitano is a 1947 Italian adventure film directed by Mario Camerini. It was entered into the 1947 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Irasema Dilián - Maria Ivanovna "Mascia" Mironova...
by directorFilm directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Mario Camerini with Cesare DanovaCesare DanovaCesare Danova was a television and screen actor. Born as Cesare Deitinger in Bergamo, Italy to an Austrian father and an Italian mother, he adopted Danova as his stage name after becoming an actor in Rome at the end of World War II. He emigrated to the United States in the 1950s to make the film...
as Pyotr and Irasema DiliánIrasema DiliánIrasema Dilián - Biography:...
as Masha. - 1958 - La Tempesta by director Alberto LattuadaAlberto LattuadaAlberto Lattuada was an Italian film director.Lattuada was born in Milan, the son of composer Felice Lattuada...
with Geoffrey HorneGeoffrey HorneGeoffrey Horne is an actor, director, and acting coach at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. His screen credits include The Bridge on the River Kwai, Bonjour Tristesse, The Strange One, Two People, The Twilight Zone episode 'The Gift' in 1962, and as Wade Norton in "The Guests" episode...
as Pyotr and Silvana ManganoSilvana ManganoSilvana Mangano was an Italian actress.Raised in poverty during World War II, Mangano trained as a dancer and worked as a model before winning a "Miss Rome" beauty pageant in 1946...
as Masha. - 1959 - Kapitanskaya Dochka by director Vladimir Kaplunovsky with Oleg StrizhenovOleg StrizhenovOleg Aleksandrovich Strizhenov was a Soviet and Russian film actor and a People's Artist of the Soviet Union.-Filmography:...
as Pyotr and Iya ArepinaIya ArepinaIya Alexeyevna Arepina was a Soviet/Russian actress.She was named Best Actress at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival for her performance in Bolshaya Semya, directed by Iosif Kheifits....
as Masha. - 2000 - Russkiy Bunt by director Aleksandr Proshkin with Mateusz Damiecki as Pyotr and Karolina GruszkaKarolina GruszkaKarolina Gruszka is a Polish film actress. She has appeared in 20 films since 1996. She was nominated for an award as Best Actress for her role in Kochankowie z Marony at the 2007 Polish Film Awards.-Selected filmography:...
as Masha. - 2005 - The Captain's Daughter, a 28-minute stop motionStop motionStop motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence...
-animated film.http://www.animator.ru/db/?ver=eng&p=show_film&fid=6821 Placed 4th in the professional rating at the 2006 Open Russian Festival of Animated FilmOpen Russian Festival of Animated FilmThe Open Russian Festival of Animated Film is an annual animation film festival held in Suzdal, Russia. It is the only festival devoted to professional appraisal of domestic Russian animation...
. http://www.suzdalfest.ru/index.php?id=16&year=2006 Won a Golden Eagle AwardGolden Eagle AwardThe Golden Eagle Award is an accolade by the Russian National Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences of Russia to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, directors, actors, and writers...
in the category "Best Animated Film" in 2007.http://www.animator.ru/index.phtml?p=show_news&nid=680
External links
«Капитанская дочка» avaialble at Russian Virtual Library- The Captain's Daughter, transl. by Natalie Duddington
- An English translation of The Captain's Daughter under the title "Marie: A Story of Russian Love"