The Eternal Husband
Encyclopedia
The Eternal Husband is a novel by Russia
n author Fyodor Dostoyevsky that was first published in 1870 in Zarya magazine. The novella's plot revolves around the complicated relationship between Velchaninov and Trusotsky, the husband of his deceased former lover.
for a trial about a piece of land. He receives a visit from Pavel Pavlovich Trusotsky, an old friend who recently became a widower. Velchaninov used to have a secret affair with Trusotsky's wife Natalia, and he's the biological father of Liza, Trusotsky's eight year old daughter. Velchaninov, who doesn't want Liza to be raised by an alcoholic, brings Liza to a foster family. Liza dies there.
Velchaninov now wants to marry Nadia, the fifteen year old daughter af civil servant Zakhlyobinin. She's the sixth daughter of eight. Trusotsky takes Velchaninov with to his fiancee, and buys her a bracelet. Velchaninov is ridiculed by Zakhlyobinin's daughters and locked up during a game of hide-and-seek. Nadia gives the bracelet to Velchaninov, asking him to return it to Trusotsky and tell him she doesn't want to marry him. Nadia is secretly engaged to Alexander Lobov, a nineteen year old boy.
Trusotsky spends the night in Velchaninov's room and wants to kill him with a razor knife. Only Velchaninov's left hand gets injured.
Sometime later, when Velchaninov has won his trial, the two meet each other again at a railway station. Trusotsky is remarried, but a young army officer is travelling with him and his wives. Trusotsky's new wife invites Velchaninov to visit them, but Trusotsky asks him to ignore this invitation.
. Details about Velchaninov's adulterous past are revealed gradually.
The novel is comparable to a tragicomedy
. The main tragic event is Liza's death. The comical element is the character of Trusotsky, who seems to be predestined to be the cuckold
every time again.
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 author Fyodor Dostoyevsky that was first published in 1870 in Zarya magazine. The novella's plot revolves around the complicated relationship between Velchaninov and Trusotsky, the husband of his deceased former lover.
Plot summary
Alexei Ivanovich Velchaninov is a land owner who stays in Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
for a trial about a piece of land. He receives a visit from Pavel Pavlovich Trusotsky, an old friend who recently became a widower. Velchaninov used to have a secret affair with Trusotsky's wife Natalia, and he's the biological father of Liza, Trusotsky's eight year old daughter. Velchaninov, who doesn't want Liza to be raised by an alcoholic, brings Liza to a foster family. Liza dies there.
Velchaninov now wants to marry Nadia, the fifteen year old daughter af civil servant Zakhlyobinin. She's the sixth daughter of eight. Trusotsky takes Velchaninov with to his fiancee, and buys her a bracelet. Velchaninov is ridiculed by Zakhlyobinin's daughters and locked up during a game of hide-and-seek. Nadia gives the bracelet to Velchaninov, asking him to return it to Trusotsky and tell him she doesn't want to marry him. Nadia is secretly engaged to Alexander Lobov, a nineteen year old boy.
Trusotsky spends the night in Velchaninov's room and wants to kill him with a razor knife. Only Velchaninov's left hand gets injured.
Sometime later, when Velchaninov has won his trial, the two meet each other again at a railway station. Trusotsky is remarried, but a young army officer is travelling with him and his wives. Trusotsky's new wife invites Velchaninov to visit them, but Trusotsky asks him to ignore this invitation.
Analysis
The story starts in medias resIn medias res
In medias res or medias in res is a Latin phrase denoting the literary and artistic narrative technique wherein the relation of a story begins either at the mid-point or at the conclusion, rather than at the beginning In medias res or medias in res (into the middle of things) is a Latin phrase...
. Details about Velchaninov's adulterous past are revealed gradually.
The novel is comparable to a tragicomedy
Tragicomedy
Tragicomedy is fictional work that blends aspects of the genres of tragedy and comedy. In English literature, from Shakespeare's time to the nineteenth century, tragicomedy referred to a serious play with either a happy ending or enough jokes throughout the play to lighten the mood.-Classical...
. The main tragic event is Liza's death. The comical element is the character of Trusotsky, who seems to be predestined to be the cuckold
Cuckold
Cuckold is a historically derogatory term for a man who has an unfaithful wife. The word, which has been in recorded use since the 13th century, derives from the cuckoo bird, some varieties of which lay their eggs in other birds' nests...
every time again.