A very brief retelling of the story “The Duel.”
Second Lieutenant Romashov's service takes place against the backdrop of his rejection of provincial mores, drill and vulgarity that reigns among the regiment's officers. The dullness of his army everyday life is brightened up by an affair with one of the officers' wives and visits to the house of the Nikolaev family.
The owner of the house, Shurochka Nikolaeva, is very nice to Yuri. But one day it happened that an intelligent young man came into conflict with her husband, and this quarrel led to a duel, during which the main character was mortally wounded and died.
Minor characters and their characteristics:
- Nazansky Vasily is a lieutenant who also sympathizes with Alexandra Petrovna.
- Peterson Raisa - “regimental lady”, Romashov’s mistress.
- Colonel Shulgovich - regiment commander.
In addition, the narrative mentions Colonel Rafalsky, Lieutenant Colonel Lech, captains Osadchy, Sliva and Peterson, staff captain Dietz, lieutenants Vetkin and Bek-Agamalov, orderly Romashova Gainan and some soldiers.
A summary of the story “The Duel” in detail by chapter.
Chapter 1.
During the exercise, the regiment commander, Colonel Shulgovich, arrives at the sixth company. He reprimands Second Lieutenant Romashov for the fact that the soldiers greet the commander inappropriately and cannot answer basic questions. Romashov tries to justify one of the soldiers by saying that he is a Tatar by nationality and does not understand Russian well. Shulgovich is furious. He imposes a punishment on the daring officer - house arrest.
Chapter 2.
Romashov realizes that he is alone and among his colleagues there is no person who would be close to him in worldview and ideas about life. The thought of going to an officers' meeting does not inspire him. While walking, he dreams of going to war and distinguishing himself. Unbeknownst to himself, the second lieutenant changes his route plan and goes home.
Chapter 3.
At home, Romashov asks his orderly if there was a messenger from the Nikolaevs, whom Yuri has visited almost every day in recent months, and receives a negative answer.
Author: Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin
After graduating from military school, the young man intended to devote himself entirely to service and self-education. However, in reality, he is dating a married woman, and in general he is burdened by his fate.
The orderly Gainan brings a message from Romashov’s mistress, Raisa Peterson, in which she invites Yuri to a square dance next Saturday at the officers’ meeting. Having destroyed the letter, Romashov goes to the Nikolaevs.
Chapter 4.
The head of the Nikolaev family, Vladimir Efimovich, intends to take the exam for the Academy of the General Staff. Therefore, preparations for it are in full swing. The man is preparing for his third attempt after two failures - and the last one given. Shurochka wants her husband to act, overcome this test, and their life would change radically.
During the conversation, Shurochka casually mentioned that duels between officers had been legalized. It seems to her that thanks to the fights among the officers, the number of cheaters and drunkards, such as Lieutenant Nazansky, will decrease.
Chapter 5.
After leaving the Nikolaevs' house, Romashov pays a visit to Nazansky. He warmly greets his fellow soldier. They start a conversation on the topic of love. Nazansky is sure that this bright feeling is available to only a few, and at the same time reads a note from his beloved lady to Romashov. Romashov realizes that this is a message from Alexandra Nikolaeva. And Nazansky, in turn, guesses that Romashov is also not indifferent to this woman.
At home, Romashov discovers a new note from Raisa. She writes that she knows where Yuri disappears every evening and warns that she won’t leave him so easily.
Chapter 6.
Romashov is serving house arrest. The Nikolaevs visit him, and Shurochka treats the “prisoner” with pies through the window. Before leaving, Shurochka says that Yuri is just a friend to her, and nothing more.
Chapter 7.
Romashov is taken to an audience with the regiment commander. Shulgovich scolds his subordinate for the fact that the second lieutenant dared to stand up for the soldier. And at the same time, Yuri gets it for drunkenness - someone reported on his alcohol abuse. Then the heated colonel suddenly changes his anger to mercy and invites the offender to an officer’s dinner.
At home, Romashov is tormented by loneliness and worthlessness. In the evening he works on his own manuscript with the third story. No one around him knows about the second lieutenant’s secret hobby.
Chapter 8.
Romashov appears at a ball in the officers' meeting house. Among the arriving ladies, he sees Raisa, whose prickly gaze does not bode well.
The officers start a conversation about duels and seem to be divided into two camps with opposing opinions: some call duels stupid, others take the position that this is the only way to take revenge for the insult.
Chapter 9.
Romashov dances with Raisa at the ball, and the woman reproaches her dance partner for ignoring her, and out of jealousy begins to insult her rival. The angry mistress says that she sacrificed everything for Romashov, and he used her. Yuri involuntarily smiles: the regiment knows about Raisa’s numerous love affairs. Her husband, Captain Peterson, loves his wife very much and forgives her for all affairs. Romashov admits that he has no feelings for Raisa.
Chapter 10.
During training sessions, a clash occurs between Romashov and company captain Sliva. The company commander tries to hit the weak soldier Khlebnikov, who failed to complete the task, but Romashov prevents this. Officers begin to discuss the effectiveness of punishment of subordinates. Romashov is confident that the use of physical force by commanders in their relationships with soldiers is a relic of the times.
Chapter 11.
Pointless officer training is taking place. Romashov performs training techniques purely automatically. Having exhausted himself with heavy thoughts, Yuri goes with his friend Vetkin to a drinking establishment, where they get pretty drunk and complain to each other about life. Romashov complains about the inner emptiness, about unrequited love, but does not find understanding in his interlocutor.
Chapter 12.
The next morning, Romashov receives a message from Shurochka, who invites him to a picnic where his name day will be celebrated. Yuri is in need and is denied loans. He begins to think through in his head who he can borrow money from, but all options disappear. Finally, Colonel Rafalsky lends the second lieutenant 10 rubles. Having received the chervonets, Romashov runs to buy a gift for the woman he loves.
Chapter 13.
At the entrance to the Nikolaevs' house, Romashov feels strange anxiety. Shurochka joyfully greets the second lieutenant, but Nikolaev is dissatisfied. The husband suspects Romashov’s feelings for Shurochka. The entire assembled company goes on a picnic.
Chapter 14.
Shurochka is even more charming in nature. In the evening, when everyone is scattering in all directions, Yuri and Alexandra go deeper into the forest. Shurochka admits that she is now in love with Romashov, but does not love her insensitive husband. She kisses Romashov, but asks him not to appear in their house again - they are besieged by anonymous letters that talk about the connection between Alexandra and Yuri. The latter understands that this is the machinations of the jealous Raisa.
Chapter 15.
The regiment is preparing for the next military review. Romashov sees how the company commanders sophisticatedly mock the soldiers and beat them. During the review, commanders tour the companies. One can feel the officers' indifference to the service.
During the final march, Romashov began to daydream to the sounds of music and leads the line to the right, which is why the half-company becomes like a disorderly crowd. After the incident, everyone in the regiment makes fun of the second lieutenant.
Chapter 16.
Romashov, upon leaving the camp, meets Nikolaev, who says that he is specially expecting him and starts a conversation about Shurochka. Nikolaev mentions anonymous letters with dirty hints about the illegal relationship between his wife and Romashov, and demands that Yuri stop spreading gossip.
Chapter 17.
Romashov endlessly secludes himself, the company of officers weighs him down. He realizes that after three years of service he will retire to the reserve. He becomes closer to the soldier Khlebnikov and helps the unfortunate man as much as possible. Colleagues notice this and begin to make fun of the second lieutenant. Shurochka reprimands Romashov for standing under the open windows of the Nikolaevs’ house for an inappropriately long time.
Chapter 18.
A young soldier in the company hangs himself. The officers are shocked by what happened, but then begin to revel and bawle songs. At night they go to a brothel, where a fight breaks out. Bek-Agamalov snatches a saber and begins to wave it. One of the girls calls the drunken officer a fool, and he swings at her with the intention of hitting her, but Romashov stops him.
Chapter 19.
The officers head to the meeting and continue to have fun, prolonging the funeral service. Romashov is indignant, demanding to stop singing. Drunk people don't stop. Suddenly Nikolaev declares that people like Romashov and Nazansky are disgracing the honor of the regiment. Romashov hints at the reasons for Nikolaev’s discontent, and the young people start a fight.
Chapter 20.
The next morning Romashov is summoned to court. Here the verdict is given: the conflict can only be resolved through a duel between the quarreling officers. You can refuse a duel by resigning, but none of the duelists agree to this.
Chapter 21.
Romashov comes to visit Nazansky, who is trying to dissuade the second lieutenant from the duel, believing that it is time for him to end his military service.
Chapter 22.
At his home, Romashov is discovered by a guest, Shurochka. She did not come to dissuade Yuri from the duel, but, on the contrary, asks him to take part in it. The woman claims that refusing to fight would be a shameful stain on the reputation of both. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a symbolic duel, i.e. shoot at each other, but miss. And this way no one gets hurt.
Chapter 23.
The reader is invited to familiarize himself with the text of the report, according to which it appears: a duel took place between officers Nikolaev and Romashov. Nikolaev immediately wounded Romashov in the stomach. There was no return shot. A few minutes later the second lieutenant died.
Summary
The sixth company conducted exercises. Colonel Shulgovich arrived here and scolded Second Lieutenant Romashov for the fact that the soldiers were not greeting him in the proper manner. Georgy began to stand up for one of them, for which he was put under house arrest for four days .
It was very difficult for Romashov; he felt lonely among those around him. The hero decided not to go to the meeting of officers, but went home. When he arrived, he asked the servants if anyone had come to him from Nikolaev, but he did not hear a positive answer.
After graduating from military school, Georgy Alekseevich planned to engage in self-education while in the service. His wish did not come true. He started a relationship with a regimental lady. Every day the service seemed more boring to him, and in the end it stopped making life as a whole enjoyable.
The orderly gave Romashov a note from Raisa. The woman invited her lover to visit. He got angry and tore up the letter. Romashov decided to go to the Nikolaevs for the last time. Vladimir was preparing for the exam to enter the General Staff Academy - this was his last chance, because he had failed the previous two attempts. His wife Shura really wanted her husband to enroll, hoping that their lives would change after that.
When Romashov came to their estate, the woman remembered that duels are now legal . According to Alexandra, officers need such fights. After the Nikolaevs, Romashov decided to visit Nazansky. A conversation began between the men about feelings. Vasily Nilovich read a letter from a woman whom he loved very much. Based on the writing style, Romashov realized that its author was Alexandra Petrovna.
Nazansky guessed that his guest had warm feelings for Shura. At home, Romashov found another letter from Raisa.
The woman knew very well that Grigory went to the Nikolaevs’ house every day. She promised that he would pay her for it.
Ball at the officers' house
Georgy came to the ball at the officers' house. Society ladies began to gather there, and Raisa also arrived. When Romashov looked into her eyes, he saw something sinister in them . Officers shared stories of duels. Some men thought they were stupid, but there were also those who were of the opinion that an insult could only be washed away with blood.
Georgy kept his promise and danced the quadrille part with Raisa. The woman said that she would not tolerate disrespectful treatment and began to loudly insult Alexandra. Raisa was married, her husband loved her very much and forgave her all the affairs.
Soon the army began training. In the process of practicing techniques on the machine gun, Romashov constantly replayed in his head a phrase said by one officer: if you think about the service the way Georgy does, then it’s better to leave it.
In the morning, Romashov received a letter from Alexandra. She invited him to a picnic in honor of her name day. Approaching the Nikolaevs' house, Romashov suddenly felt uneasy. Alexandra was especially charming at the picnic.
When all the guests had left, she and George went for a walk deep into the grove. At that moment, Shurochka confessed to him her feelings and that she did not love her husband at all. Her husband treats her very rudely.
Alexandra kissed Romashov and asked him not to appear in their house anymore, as her husband began receiving anonymous letters.
Serious conflict
One day, leaving the camp , Georgy met Vladimir . He said that he had been waiting for him on purpose and started talking about his wife. Nikolaev shared that he began to receive letters about his wife’s relationship. He demanded that Romashov do everything possible to stop the gossip.
Georgy began to spend less time in the company of officers, because he understood that he did not want to connect his life with the army. After the mandatory three years of service, Romashov planned to retire to the reserve. At the end of spring, a soldier in his company hanged himself. But in the evening the officers began drinking and joking as if nothing had happened.
By nightfall, everyone present had gotten pretty drunk and went off to have some fun with the women. One of the officers began to chop everything with a saber, but Romashov managed to calm him down. The men continued to have fun, suddenly one of them began to sing a dirge. This infuriated George and he hit the table with his fist.
Suddenly, Vladimir Efimych approached him and said that people like him and Nazansky were spoiling the regiment. Romashov responded by hinting at the true reasons for his discontent, after which a fight broke out between the heroes. In a fit of anger, Georgy challenged Vladimir to a duel. The next day, Romashov was invited to court.
After some time, a ruling was made that a dispute between men could only be resolved by a duel. Alexandra came to visit George and said that although she did not love her husband, she had spent part of her soul on him. The woman understood: if Vladimir refused the duel, he would not be accepted into the academy. That is why the fight must take place. When leaving, Alexandra kissed George.
Completion of the story
In early June, a duel took place between the men. Nikolaev had the right to fire the first shot. It hit Romashov in the stomach. The hero had no strength left to fire back. A few minutes later, Georgy Alekseevich died from internal hemorrhage .
The work “Duel” became one of the best in the work of Alexander Kuprin. The central character of the story, Second Lieutenant Romashov, was presented to the reader in the image of a young, intelligent hero with a very subtle soul. He could not live a boring and monotonous life.
George understood that he would not stay in the army for long and after it he would start a new life. Unfortunately, due to an unfortunate combination of circumstances and pressure from the woman he loved, Romashov dies. For him, the duel was another attempt to resist the world around him, but in the end he lost. After reading the retelling of all chapters of the story, you should familiarize yourself with the full version of “The Duel” in order to fully understand its meaning.
Briefly about the history of the creation of the work “Duel”.
The work was published in 1905 and belongs to the category of neorealism. It is rightfully considered one of the best not only in the writer’s work, but also in all Russian literature of the 20th century.
The story was largely conceived as autobiographical, but then Alexander Ivanovich did not dare to write in the first person. Perhaps due to the fact that it contained a serious accusatory subtext. The work was published with a dedication to Maxim Gorky. He, in turn, highly praised the work, calling it “a magnificent story.”
Minor characters from Kuprin’s story “The Duel”
Nazansky Vasily Nilych
- an officer prone to philosophizing, but a “serious” drunkard. He is thirty years old, handsome in appearance, his blue eyes are especially beautiful. Nazansky is kind, decent, smart. He talks about concepts of a higher order: good, evil, justice. Romashov is sympathetic to him, he dissuades him from participating in the duel, because life is amazing and worth living. He was already ready to abandon the fight, only Shurochka’s visit changed his intention.
Peterson Raisa Alexandrovn
a is a vulgar, insidious and deceitful woman. She skillfully seduced Romashov. When he left her, she took revenge on him with anonymous letters to Nikolaev, in which she lied about the connection between his wife and Romashov.
Khlebnikov
- soldier. This is a physically weak man, very short in stature, and got into the service by accident. As a child, he stopped growing because he tore his stomach. His life in the regiment was unbearable: other soldiers beat him and took his money. Khlebnikov went on the run and did not want to live, but he met Romashov, who took the unfortunate man under his protection.
