About the product
The tragedy of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin “Boris Godunov” was written in 1824 - 1825. In the work, the author described the historical events of 1598 - 1605 that took place in the Russian state, namely the reign of Boris Godunov and the invasion of False Dmitry I. Stylistically, the drama is close to the historical chronicles of W. Shakespeare and belongs to the literary movement of realism.
On our website you can read a summary of Pushkin’s “Boris Godunov” chapter by chapter; it will be useful when preparing for a lesson or for a reader’s diary.
The material was prepared jointly with a teacher of the highest category, Kuchmina Nadezhda Vladimirovna.
Experience as a teacher of Russian language and literature - 27 years.
Campaign of False Demetrius
Gregory managed to persuade future supporters, promising each of them something: retribution to the disgraced servants, freedom to the Cossacks, and the submission of Rus' to the Vatican to the Jesuit Chernikovsky. In the autumn of 1604, False Demetrius approaches the Lithuanian border, he is tormented by his conscience that he is leading enemies to his homeland, but immediately calms himself with the fact that the sin will not fall on him, but on the king, who took the throne by deceit.
The summary of “Boris Godunov” tells about the military campaign of the impostor. The Tsar orders people to be gathered for service, but the news about Tsarevich Dimitri sowed confusion among the people. Grigory Otrepyev occupies city after city, defeats Russian troops, even his own failure at Sevsk does not frighten him, the impostor gathers soldiers and moves on.
Other characters
- Vorotynsky is a prince from the Rurik family.
- Basmanov, Pushkin, Mosalsky - boyars.
- Father Pimen , a chronicler, was present in Uglich during the murder of Tsarevich Dmitry.
- Marina Mnishek is the beloved of Grigory Otrepyev, who knew about his deception.
- Feodor (Fedor), Ksenia - children of Boris Godunov.
- Misail, Varlaam are black tramps.
- Nikolka is a holy fool.
And we also have:
for the most impatient -
A very brief summary of “Boris Godunov”
for the most sociable -
The main characters of "Boris Godunov"
for the busiest -
Reader's diary "Boris Godunov"
for the coolest -
Read “Boris Godunov” in full
Summary
February 20, 1598. Kremlin chambers.
Princes Vorotynsky and Shuisky are discussing the fact that Boris Godunov and his sister have been “secluded” in the monastery for a month, “abandoned everything worldly” and this became the cause of unrest in Moscow. However, according to Shuisky:
“The people will still howl and cry, Boris will still wince a little, <...> And finally, by his mercy, he will humbly agree to accept the crown,”
Otherwise, “the blood of the baby prince” Dmitry was shed in vain. Shuisky is sure that Boris Godunov is to blame for his death.
Everything happened exactly as Shuisky predicted: the people began to beg Godunov to return to the throne. After short deliberation, Boris agrees, gathers the boyars, and they swear allegiance to the tsar.
1603 (4 years have passed since the previous events). Night. Cell in the Chudov Monastery.
Father Pimen, sitting in front of the lamp, is finishing the chronicle, Gregory is sleeping next to him. Waking up, the monk says that for the third day he has been dreaming the same dream: how he looks at Moscow from above, people below point at him with laughter, and out of fear and shame he falls down.
Gregory is upset that during his life he saw almost nothing, while Pimen took part in battles and saw “John’s court.” The monk begins to ask Pimen about his life and learns that he was in Uglich at the time of the death of Tsarevich Dmitry. If Dmitry had remained alive, he would have been the same age as Gregory.
Chambers of the Patriarch. Miracles Monastery
Gregory escapes from the monastery, saying that “he will be king in Moscow.” The incident is reported to the Patriarch, who orders the monk to be caught and sent to eternal settlement in the Solovetsky Monastery.
Royal chambers.
After his “favorite conversation” - communication with a sorcerer - Godunov reflects that he has already been reigning for the sixth year and “sorcerers promise days of serene power,” but there is no happiness in his soul, nothing makes him happy. Godunov shared gold with people, provided work, built new homes, but the people were not grateful to the tsar for what he had done: “living power is hateful for the mob, they only know how to love the dead.” The true reason for the tsar’s mental torment lies in the pangs of conscience: “yes, pitiful is he whose conscience is unclean.”
Tavern on the Lithuanian border
Gregory in disguise with the monks Varlaam and Misail are sitting in the tavern. Otrepiev asks the hostess how to get to Lithuania. Suddenly, bailiffs enter the tavern with a royal decree to find the escaped “evil heretic” Grishka Otrepiev, “catch and hang.” Having volunteered to read the decree, Gregory deliberately changes the signs described to those of Varlaam. The bailiff orders the monk to be tied up, but the deception is revealed. Otrepiev snatches a dagger from his bosom and quickly jumps out the window.
Moscow. Shuisky's house. Dinner party
Pushkin tells Shuisky that his nephew sent a messenger from Krakow with the news: Ivan the Terrible’s son Dmitry is supposedly alive, has already visited the king’s chamber and he promised to help him. Shuisky has no doubt that this is an impostor and believes that people should not know about this news.
Royal chambers.
Godunov learns from Shuisky about the appearance of the impostor Dmitry. The prince warns Boris that the False Tsarevich can rouse the people against him. Nervous, Godunov asks Shuisky if Dmitry is really dead. The prince is confident in this; moreover, he recalls the incorruptibility of the prince’s body, which he visited in the cathedral thirteen years ago.
Krakow. Vishnevetsky's house.
Gregory plans to unite Russian and Lithuanian forces to overthrow Godunov. The impostor promises the Jesuit Chernikovsky to subordinate the entire Russian Church to the Vatican, to give the Don to the Cossacks, and to avenge Godunov’s atrocities to other like-minded people.
Castle of Voivode Mniszka in Sambir.
Captivated by Marina, Grigory makes a secret date with her at night in the garden and reveals himself to her, saying that he is an impostor. However, the girl does not need the love of a runaway monk; she wants to become the wife of the Moscow Tsar. Marina begins to insult Gregory and promises to tell him about his deception. Indignant, the Pretender replies that the Russian prince is not afraid of the Polish maiden. “Finally I hear the speech not of the boy, but of the husband.” Marina, declaring that she will not be with Grigory until he overthrows Godunov, leaves.
Tsar's Duma
At a meeting of the Tsar's Duma, they discuss that the Pretender has captured Chernigov. The Tsar asks the boyars and the Patriarch to save the city, offering to bring Dmitry's remains to the Kremlin so that everyone can see that the Tsarevich is dead. However, Shuisky advises to hold off on this for now, volunteering to talk to the people on his own.
December 21, 1604. Plain near Novgorod-Seversky
The height of the battle. The Russians flee under the onslaught of the Pretender's forces. Captains of the Lithuanian army speak of False Dmitry as a “desperate thug.”
Square in front of the cathedral in Moscow
People in front of the cathedral are discussing that Grigory Otrepiev was anathematized, and “they are now singing eternal memory to the prince.” Godunov comes out of the church and the crying holy fool Nikolka turns to him, complaining that “Little children are offending Nikolka... Order them to be slaughtered, just as you stabbed the little prince.” The boyars wanted to seize the holy fool, but the tsar ordered to leave him, asking Nikolka to pray for him. But he shouted after him: “No, no! You cannot pray for King Herod: the Mother of God does not command.”
Sevsk
Having occupied Sevsk, the Pretender interrogates the captive Moscow nobleman and learns that in Moscow Godunov executes everyone who says anything about False Dmitry. Having thrown his 15,000-strong army against the 50,000-strong Russian army, the Pretender suffers a complete defeat. Having miraculously escaped, he and a group of like-minded people hide in the forest.
Moscow. Royal Chambers
The Tsar is concerned that False Dmitry, despite the defeat, has again gathered an army. Godunov is not happy with the boyars. He wants to appoint the talented but not well-born Basmanov as governor. A few minutes after their conversation, the king becomes ill:
“He was sitting on the throne and suddenly fell - Blood gushed from his mouth and ears.” The dying king asks to leave him with Theodore, turns to his son: “You will now reign by right. I, I alone will answer to God for everything...”
Godunov instructs his son, recommends that he elect Shuisky as his adviser, and appoint Basmanov as commander of the army. These include the boyars, saints, patriarch, queen and princess. The boyars swear allegiance to the new king. The rite of tonsure begins on the dying person.
Bid
Pushkin informs Basmanov that False Dmitry is offering to go over to his side, for which Basmanov will receive “the first rank in the Muscovite kingdom.” Basmanov replies that he has already sworn allegiance to Theodore and knows that Dmitry is an impostor. Pushkin explains that the power of the Pretender lies in popular opinion and asks him to think about the proposal.
Execution place
Pushkin addresses the people with the news of the death of Boris Godunov. The prince calls on the people to swear allegiance to Dmitry: “kiss the cross to the rightful ruler.” From the pulpit someone shouted “People, people! to the Kremlin! to the royal chambers! Go! knit Borisov's puppy! and the people, noisily, headed towards the Kremlin.
Kremlin. House of Borisov
Theodore and Ksenia are in custody. The people near the walls are indignant: “The father was a villain, but the children are innocent.” The boyars with three riflemen enter Godunov's house. There is noise, sounds of fighting, screaming. The doors open, Mosalsky appears on the porch:
"People! Maria Godunova and her son Theodore poisoned themselves. We saw their dead bodies. The people are silent in horror. Why are you silent? shout: long live Tsar Dimitri Ivanovich! The people are silent."
Summary of the drama “Boris Godunov” by Pushkin
Kremlin chambers (February, 1598)
Two princes, Shuisky and Vorotynsky, discuss the unrest taking place in the capital. The fact is that Boris Godunov and his sister have not left the monastery for a month. The perspicacious Shuisky believes that Godunov will “wince” a little more and agree to accept the kingdom, otherwise there would be no point in killing Tsarevich Dmitry. Shuisky has no doubt that Godunov is responsible for the death of the little prince.
Vorotynsky bombards Shuisky with questions: is Godunov really a murderer? Shuisky is sure of this; he lists the irrefutable facts of the crime.
Red Square
The people are nervous, they are advocating for the appointment of Godunov as Tsar, and are waiting for his decision. The “Duma clerk” comes out to the people. He announces the resolution of the Duma. Tomorrow the patriarch and boyars are going to go to Boris for the last time and ask him to ascend to the kingdom. People go home.
Novodevichy Convent. Maiden's field
The crowd is worried, it is tensely watching the boyars who have entered Boris’s cell. Godunov heeded the pleas of the people, he agreed to become king. Long live the king!
Kremlin chambers
Godunov agrees to the kingdom. In a pathetic speech, he addresses the patriarch and boyars. Boris describes his feelings and asks the boyars to serve him faithfully. Vorotynsky tells Shuisky that he correctly foresaw the events.
Cell in the Chudov Monastery (1603)
At night there are two people in the cell - the chronicler Pimen and the monk Grigory Otrepiev. Father Pimen is finishing the book. Grishka, waking up, tells a dream that he is seeing for the third time. He looks at Moscow from a high tower, and people laugh at him. Filled with fear and shame, he falls from a height.
Grishka says that he has seen practically nothing in his life. He envies Pimen, who has been both on the battlefield and at the royal court. Otrepyev asks the chronicler about the events of his life. Pimen recalls how he was in Uglich during the murder of Tsarevich Dmitry. He adds that in terms of age, the murdered boy would now be the same as Otrepyev. Grishka is outraged by Godunov’s action and believes that the child killer will not escape either human judgment or God’s.
The Patriarch's chambers in the same monastery
The Patriarch and the abbot of the monastery are discussing a strange event. Monk Otrepyev left the monastery, leaving a letter stating that he was laying claim to the kingdom in Moscow. The Patriarch is outraged, orders to find the fugitive, and wants to send Grishka to Solovki for the rest of his days.
Royal Chambers
Boris is interested in the predictions of fortune tellers and sorcerers. He locked himself with one of them, having a conversation. Despite the predicted prosperity, Godunov leaves in a difficult mood. His thoughts are not cheerful - he has been reigning for the sixth year, but there is no happiness. He has done a lot during his reign, but the people are not happy. All troubles are blamed on him. Boris reflects on human ingratitude, but this is not the issue of his torment. A conscience that is unclean speaks in him. Bloody boys stand before his eyes.
Lithuanian border, tavern
Grigory Otrepiev sits in a tavern with two monks. He is heading to Lithuania, asking how to get there. Suddenly the bailiffs come in with a decree. They are looking for a “heretic” who is destined for the gallows. The guards of order are illiterate, they ask you to read the decree. Grishka reads the resolution, which describes the signs of the villain. Otrepyev replaces the content, pronouncing the signs of one of the Chernets. The tramp, hearing that he was accused of something, began to delve into the essence of the letter. The substitution is revealed, and Grishka manages to escape and jumps out the window.
Shuisky's house. Moscow
Vasily Shuisky organized a dinner party where they drank to the Tsar’s health. At the end of the celebration, Shuisky learns news from Pushkin: Tsarevich Dmitry is alive and has already managed to enlist the king’s support. Shuisky is sure that Dmitry is an impostor. He believes that people should not talk about this event.
Royal Chambers
Godunov speaks out about his distrust of Pushkin and Shuisky. Prince Shuisky is waiting for an audience with the Tsar. He tells Boris the news about the impostor Dmitry, that the king and his subjects are going to support him. The prince warns the king about the danger, about the changeable attitude of the common people, suggestible and superstitious. Godunov is concerned with the question: could it have happened that the prince survived? Shuisky has no doubt about Dmitry’s death. He tells details that clearly confirm the death of the prince.
Vishnevetsky's house. Krakow
Otrepyev talks with Father Vishnivetsky. Grigory assures that the people will support him and gives reasons for his words. He gathers Lithuanians and Russians to overthrow Godunov. Otrepiev generously makes promises. He is going to give the Orthodox Russian Church into the possession of the Vatican to please Chernikovsky, a Jesuit. The Cossacks will receive the Don from the new king. He unites everyone else with the idea of vengeance against Godunov and his royal tyranny.
Those present are inspired and ready to fight for the new king.
Castle of Voivode Mniszka in Sambir
Voivode Mnishek notices that Dmitry is in love with his daughter. He only talks to Marina, he is only occupied with her. The governor is pleased, he already sees his daughter as a queen. Mnishek says that he advised his daughter not to miss Dmitry. While dancing with Otrepyev, Marina tells him that she will come on a date to the fountain that night.
Night. Garden. Fountain
On a secret date at night, Grishka tells Marina the truth about his origins. The confession of Otrepiev, intoxicated with love, does not evoke warm feelings in Marina. She says she will tell him about his deception. Gregory is not afraid of this statement. He says that, by and large, no one cares about his origins. And he believes that first of all they will believe the Tsar, and not some Polish girl. The girl liked his sober reasoning. She said that she saw a man in front of her, and not a slobbering boy. Marina is ready to marry him, but only after his coronation to the throne.
Tsar's Duma
The Patriarch and the boyars, led by the Tsar, discuss the victories of False Dmitry, who managed to capture Chernigov. Godunov proposes to present the remains of the prince to the Russians by transporting his body to the Kremlin. Shuisky does not support this proposal. He says that he himself will calm people down and reveal the truth to the people.
Plain near Novgorod-Seversky (December 1604)
The battle is in full swing. The troops gathered by Otrepiev are crushing the Russians. False Dmitry's allies win, despite their small numbers. Lithuanians see the impostor as a ruthless thug.
Square in front of the cathedral in Moscow
Among the common people there is a discussion about the news about the Pretender. Grigory Otrepiev was anathematized. The people are restless, some of the crowd believe that the prince is alive. Leaving the church, Boris meets the holy fool. He complains to the king about the offenders who took his coins. The holy fool asks the king to kill the boys, to do the same as the king did with Tsarevich Dmitry. Godunov stopped his associates who wanted to grab the guy. He just asked the holy fool to pray for him. In response, Boris heard from the holy fool that it was impossible to pray for King Herod.
Sevsk
Having taken positions near Sevsk, False Dmitry interrogates a Russian nobleman who was taken prisoner. He is interested in the mood of ordinary people in Moscow, asks if they are waiting for Dmitry? Otrepiev found out that everyone who spoke about the new tsar was executed. The impostor learns unpleasant news - the Russian army: 50 thousand, which is several times larger than his own.
False Dmitry is defeated. He is hiding in the forest with a small group of his followers.
Forest
Otrepiev is very upset about the death of his horse. It seems that he experiences the loss of an animal more than the complete defeat of his own army.
Royal chambers. Moscow
Godunov learns that, after the defeat, Otrepyev is again with the army and in full combat readiness. Suddenly the king falls from his throne. He felt bad - Boris was dying. Before his death, he gives parting words to his son. After this, the king’s relatives come in and say goodbye to him.
A new commander has been appointed to fight the Pretender - Basmanov.
Bid
Pushkin persuades Basmanov to go serve the Pretender, citing the fact that False Dmitry is supported by the people. If Basmanov agrees, he will receive the highest position “in the kingdom of Moscow.” Basmanov says that he took an oath to serve the former government and he has accurate information that False Dmitry has nothing to do with the royal family.
Execution place
Pushkin informs the common people about the death of the Tsar. He appeals to the people to recognize False Dmitry as the legitimate king. The crowd, obeying the speeches “take Borisov’s puppy!” goes to the royal chambers. The crowd's desire is to destroy the heir to the throne. Basmanov made a choice - he recognizes False Dmitry as king.
Kremlin. House of Borisov
Boris Godunov's wife and children are in custody. The crowd has no consensus. Some of the common people call for mercy on innocent children, while others refuse to feel compassion for the children of the killer.
The boyars, accompanied by archers, enter the royal chambers. There was noise, squealing, screaming, after which there was silence. Mosalsky comes out to the people and reports that the tsar’s children have taken poison. The crowd's response is silence. He calls for recognition of the new Tsar Dmitry, but the crowd continues to remain silent.
