A summary of Ostrovsky’s Wolves and Sheep should be well known to all fans of this famous Russian playwright. A five-act comedy play was created in 1875. It was first published in Domestic Notes. A few months later, the premiere staged on the stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater.
The plot of the play
A summary of Ostrovsky's “Wolves and Sheeps” should be known to all connoisseurs of Russian literature. After all, this is one of the classic comedies of the 19th century, which can still be seen on the stage, as it does not lose its relevance.
Telling a summary of Ostrovsky’s “Wolves and Sheeps,” one should start with the episode in which the craftsmen gather at the home of the 65-year-old Muropavetskaya Muropavetskaya. Everyone demands that she return the money she borrowed. An ex-member of the county court Chugunov appears, who leads the affairs of the wealthy widow Kupavina, while profiting from her money.
The mistress comes to the house together with poor relative Glafira and the implanters. At this time, the butler Peacock tells Chugunov that the nephew of the vagabond and the hypocrite Murzavetskaya, whom I call Apollo, is an unrestrained drunkard. Although Meropia herself wants to marry him to Kupavina.
Soon Murzavetsky is really delivered after another binge from the tavern. The play "Ostrovsky's Wolves and Sheeps" was a success with the audience, as along with moralizing, the author paid attention to healthy humor. So in this scene, Murzavetsky begins to intrusively look after Glafira, lends money to Peacock, and taking it on his chest, begins to be rude. These hilarious episodes are remembered by everyone who is even familiar with the brief content of Ostrovsky’s play “Wolves and Sheep”.
At the same time, Apollo does not listen to what his aunt says, since he is busy with his dog Tamerlane. Murzavetskaya sends her nephew to bed, planning to go to the bride in the evening. After that, through Chugunov, it is decided to spread rumors throughout the province that the deceased husband Kupavina owed to her father Murzavetskaya, who also had already died. This is done in case the widow was accommodating when she comes to marry with Apollo.
Chugunov even agrees to forge a debt, does not pay attention when Kupavina declares that she cannot find a letter in which Kupavina’s husband acknowledges his debt.
New characters
In a brief summary of Ostrovsky’s Wolves and Sheep, it’s important to present all the important characters in the play so that the reader has a full impression of the work.
The next hero who appears on the scene is the 50-year-old master Lynyaev, who is also an honorary justice of the peace. With him is Aunt Kupavina Anfusa Tikhonovna. He talks about an unknown bogus who appeared in their province, he uses forgeries that they began to identify. Apparently, this is Chugunov’s nephew, who helps in the cause of Meropia. Murzavetskaya herself sarcastically admonishes that the calves catch the wolf. This is a direct reference to the title of the play "Wolves and Sheep" by Ostrovsky.
The next again appears Kupavina, who gives Murzavetskaya a thousand rubles, supposedly borrowed by her dead husband. With this money, the main character pays creditors. She also warns Glafira to go to Kupavina and prevent her from approaching Lynyayev.
In the house of Kupavina
The summary of the play "Wolves and Sheep" should ideally be well known to all who gathered for this production. So you better understand everything that will happen on stage, understand the details. True, there are those viewers who prefer, even in the case of a classic piece, not to know the spoilers. A brief summary of Ostrovsky's “Wolves and Sheeps” can be useful to them only in the process of preparing for the exam or standings.
The play is transferred to the house of Kupavina. The hostess signs another blank bill of exchange form, which is put by Chugunov. And he does it with such ignorance that he even lets out a tear.
He is replaced by Lynyaev, one of the most visionary characters in Ostrovsky’s play “Wolves and Sheep”. He reads a letter from an old friend of Berkutov, who is going to come. After Lynyaev is outraged when he finds out about the debt of the late Kupavin, as he knows that he hated Murzavetskaya. The widow shows him a letter in which he immediately suspects forgery.
But at this time Meropia herself arrives. She brings her nephew and Glafira. At the same time, he is trying to intimidate a woman, instilling fear, but without really explaining anything. The widow is ready to listen to all claims, but Apollo is satisfied with 5 rubles received from Kupavina.
Spectacular lady
Retelling the play “Wolves and Sheep” by Ostrovsky in brief, everyone must remember the episode with the glorious transformation of Glafira. She has views of Lynyaev, and when she finds out that Kupavina is indifferent, she immediately turns from a quiet girl into a spectacular person, ready for anything.
Together with Lynyaev, Kupavina and Anfusa, she goes for a walk. But at the last moment, the only man in this company is too lazy to go far and remains. He finds a reason then not to go anywhere and Glafira. When everyone finally leaves them, Glafira immediately begins to court Lynyaev.
Return
From the walk, the heroes return hastily, getting rid of the harassment of Murzavetsky. Only Lynyaev drives him away. Then he meets Goretsky, bribes him so that he confesses to falsifying the letter.
The next day, Glafira is concerned that Lynyaev is not in a hurry to explain to her. At this time, a letter arrives from Murzavetskaya in which she threatens Kupavina to recover a large amount of debt from her, since she had not accepted her nephew the day before, the insidious Meropia threatens the widow with ruin.
Lynyaev and Berkutov arrive. The latter admits that he arrived to marry, and asks his friend not to interfere in the affairs of the widow. Upon meeting, he assesses her position as unenviable. He ends the conversation with the widow with a council to marry Murzavetsky in order to avoid complete ruin.
Scene of passionate love
At this time, tired Lynyaev returns from the walk, who is left to lie on the couch, and they themselves go to write a letter to Meropia Davydovna.
At this time, Glafira appears, who plays with the master a scene of passionate love. Lynyaev is helpless. When Kupavina returns with Berkutov, Lynyaev agrees with Glafira, promising that he will marry her.
At the same time, in the house of Murzavetskaya Chugunov convinces a woman of the need for revenge, even though the mistress is so very angry. Chugunov wants to knock out Meropia so that his fakes go. Another plan that he decided to implement is Kupavin’s nonexistent letter to Apollo, in which he allegedly acknowledges his duty. This should be a good addition to the bill. Chugunov even demonstrated a technique with which he draws up fakes. He uses an old book in which the document fades immediately.
Berkutov and Murzavetskaya
Berkutov appears, who brings the Murzavets book of spiritual content, he is emphatically amiable with her. Berkutov decided to run, so he counts on the support and advice of others.
At the very end, he recalls the assignment from his neighbor Eulampia Nikolaevna. After that, the conversation immediately changes its character. He directly calls Apollo and his henchmen villains, indignant at their actions. He says that the main culprit in the appearance of fakes, Goretsky already confessed everything, Berkutov tells Murzavetskaya that he seriously suspects her nephew, who may be involved in this matter.
Meeting with Chugunov
Following he asks to invite Chugunov. Allegorically, he warns him of everything. He thanks him for this and goes to destroy all the evidence whenever possible.
However, Berkutov detained him, urging him to pay something for his labors so that Kupavina would have a lesson on how to behave in the future. Chugunov leaves, obliged to all around.
In the ending of the play, the matchmaking of Kupavina is played, and then the triumph of Glafira, who comes to demonstrate that Michelle is under her heel. At this point, it is worth recognizing that the scene is written so vividly and successfully that it does not lend itself to retelling, from which it can only get worse. Even if you don’t have the time and opportunity to read the whole work, take a few minutes to get acquainted with this scene, which will give you sincere pleasure.
In conclusion, Lynyaev concludes that everything in the world is sheep and wolves. Future Lynyaevs leave for Paris, and the Berkutovs leave for St. Petersburg for the winter. When they all leave, Chugunov is surprised at the conversation with Murzavetskaya, for which Lynyaev called them wolves, believing that they are actually pigeons or hens.
In the finale, one can hear the cries of Murzavetsky, whose wolves ate Tamerlane. Chugunov is trying to console him, noting that the real "wolves" "ate" his bride with all the dowry. As a result, even he and his aunt miraculously survived.
The main idea of ​​the play
Ostrovsky tells us a story as old as the world that some people are destined to be simple-minded and meek like sheep, and others - predatory and dangerous, like wolves. Sometimes, however, even a seasoned predator gets into trouble.
“Wolves and sheep live in the world, wolves and sheep ... Wolves eat sheep, sheep humbly allow themselves to eat ...” - this is a simple idea that underlies the comedy.
Prototypes
Interestingly, the prototype of one of the main heroines of the Murzavetskaya was the daughter of General Rosen, Abbess Mitrofaniya.
Ostrovsky was familiar with her case, which was understood a year before the play was written. She was accused of fraud, forgery, embezzlement and misappropriation of other people's property. She turned frauds in the Serpukhov monastery and the Vladychno-Pokrovskaya community.