Pougatcheffthe pretender Czar

Marie

Alexis

Orenbourg

the fortressBelogorsk

Khasan

the summer palaceof Tzarskoie-Selo

Empress

Alexis

Pougatcheff

Peter & Marie

Peter Grineff

homein Simbirsk

Feb1774

Dec1774

March1774 17751772 Oct

1773

Marie - A Story of Russian Love by Alexander Pushkin

Sources: A. Pushkin (M.H. de Zielinska), “Marie - A Story of Russian Love” published by The Project Gutenberg, online 2013.

© 2013 Mikael Onsjö

Peter Grineff, the 16 year old son of a retired Captain, sets off from home to join the army and become a man. With him has he a loyal but elderly servant.

Along the way they encounter a pitiful vagrant to whom Peter is remarkably generous.

Peter is stationed in Belogorsk where he encounters Marie, daughter of the commendant. He also meets Alexis who becomes a rival and a mortal enemy.

After some time, perhaps a year, at Belagorsk Peter is mortally wounded in a duel with Alexis. It is during his recovery that Peter falls in love with Marie. His father objects to the union.

Some time later, the fortress is invaded by Pougatcheff, a man pretending to be the Czar. This pretender captures Belagorsk and has the commandant hanged, but lo! Pougatcheff is in fact the vagrant from before.

Out of gratitude, Pougatcheff allows Peter to escape to his allies in Orenbourg.

Peter spends a few months in Orenbourg helping with its defense. In February, however, he gets word that Alexis, now serving Pougatcheff and commanding Belogorsk, is holding Marie in captivity.

Peter sets off to rescue his love, is captured by Pougatcheff on the way but again wins the loyalty of this fake sovereign. Together they go to Belogorsk, free Marie and take Alexis down a few notches.

Peter and Marie go on their way to live happy ever after...

Not so! Peter is arrested on account of treason: the military believes he has joined with the rebels. Marie travels to Peter’s home in Simbirsk while Peter himself is brought to Khasan in chains.

Alexis is also brought to Khasan and tried as a traitor, he testifies against Peter out of spite. Peter, who wishes to leave Marie out of the story, refuses to defend himself. He is condemned to exile in Siberia.

Captain Grineff Sr. is outraged and would rather have seen his traitorous son hanged.

Marie, convinced of Peter’s innocence and cognicient of his true motive for keeping silent, travels alone to the Empress’ summer palace outside St. Petersburg.

The empress is moved by Marie’s story and promptly issues a pardon for Peter who is soon released.

Peter and Marie are reunited in freedom, get married and live out their days in Simbirsk.

Pougatcheff is captured and hanged for treason.

Alexis’ fate is ultimately unknown. The last thing we heard, he was in prison on the same charges as Peter, only rightfully so.

St. PetersburgSt. Petersburg

OrenbourgOrenbourg

Moscow Moscow

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BELARUSBELARUS

U K R A I N EU K R A I N E

K A Z A K H S T A NK A Z A K H S T A N

M O N G O L I AM O N G O L I A

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NNDD

SimbirskSimbirsk

Tzarskoie-SeloTzarskoie-Selo

KhasanKhasan

Belogorsk Belogorsk

Russia,1994 borders

Капитанская дочка Александр Пушкинor “the Captain’s Daughter”