The satirical comedy “For Every Wise Man of Pretty Simplicity” is written by the remarkable playwright Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky. The first production of this masterpiece of Russian classical drama was carried out on the stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg on November 1, 1868.
In the article we will give a brief summary of the comedy "For every sage is quite simple" on the actions, and there are five in total.
Action one
Events begin in a tidy room with good furniture. The young man Yegor Dmitrievich Glumov decides to become his own in the circle of local rich and win the heart of a rich bride, the niece of the widow Turusina. To achieve this goal, he loves to write epigrams at his leisure, he quits this lesson, but starts a diary, "a chronicle of human vulgarity" to "pour gall on his pages" - while on his lips there will be "honey only." Glumov is confident in his abilities. He is a speechwriter, witty and cunning.
Unexpectedly hussar Kurchaev, also Yegor, the nephew of barin Mamaev, and a man without certain occupations, supposedly a journalist on free bread Golutvin, make the main character think that the first thing to do is to get closer to Mamaev, who is also his uncle and not even knows about it - he has so many nephews and all sorts of relatives. In addition, according to Kurchaev, the young man liked Mamayev’s wife, Cleopatra Lvovna (she saw him in the theater), and this is worth using. Glumov begins his game.
Such is the plot in the play by A. N. Ostrovsky, "For every sage is quite simplicity," a summary of which we present to your attention.
The appearance of Mamaev
In the next appearance, the servant Mamaev enters the room, and then the master himself. The main character pretended to rent out the apartment he occupied - supposedly he needs to move to a large one, but there are not enough funds. When he, in amazement, asks about the reasons for such an act, Glumov calmly admits that he, they say, is stupid - the mind is not enough. And there is no one to teach him.
And Mamaev saddles his beloved horse - embarks on the argument that today's youth does not like to listen to the elders' instructions. Glumov assented to him. And then he says that he would be glad to listen to an intelligent person, and that he has, he says, one relative, but the trouble is rich. Therefore, if you come to him, he will think about the money:
After all, how do you explain to him that I don’t need a penny from him, that I only thirst for advice, thirst - the greed of instruction, like manna from heaven. He, they say, is a man of wonderful mind, I would be ready to listen to him for days and nights.
Mamaev inquires who this relative is. So uncle finds another of his nephew. And then he invites him to visit.
In the following phenomenon, Mamaev also meets with the mother of Glumov, whom the cunning Glumov represents as a near-witted woman, but very kind. Mother, examining Mamaev, notes that she does not look like a portrait of the original. "What portrait are you talking about?" - Mamaev strictly asks. And here is where the caricature of the gentleman is removed, which, amusing himself, was scribbled by the hussar Kurchaev, another of Mamaev’s nephews, and when leaving, he forgot from Glumov.
"Ah yes, nephew!" - says Mamaev, shaking his head. Glumov achieved what he wanted - the position of Kurchaev, the main contender for the Mamaev’s inheritance, was greatly shaken.
The next one visits Glumovy fortune teller Manefa. Her main character hands fifteen rubles and tastes coffee. Manefa goes home, collects gossip and spreads rumors, he needs her.
And the last to appear is the distressed Kurchaev, to whom suddenly both uncle and local rich people of Turusina refused to leave the house. Vaguely guessing that the matter was not without Glumov’s intrigues, the hussar threatens him.
However, the protagonist rejoices: "The first step has been taken. Uncle sent Kurchaev away."
Action two
We recall in a brief summary “For every sage of rather simplicity” A. Ostrovsky that the next action begins in Mamaev’s house.
An “important master”, old man Krutitsky asks the owner if he would recommend to him some young man more educated and more modest for the literary processing of his works. He promises to send Glumov to him.
Cleopatra Lvovna in conversation with her mother Glumova admires the appearance of a young man and promises to make every effort for his best device in life.
In a conversation with his wife Mamaev, Glumov cautiously hints that he would not mind getting a nice place from the local dignitary Gorodulin. Cleopatra Lvovna flirts with the thought that Glumov is in love with her, but brings him to Gorodulin.
He, having listened to the young man, is delighted with his eloquence and ability to build phrases. The next day he will have to give a speech, but there is no text yet and to think, as he puts it, “there is absolutely no time”. Therefore, he asks Glumov to make a speech for him, and in return promises to think about a warm place.
But Mamaev, in turn, promises to bring him to Krutitsky, but advises a little bit to flatter him. In addition, the hero teaches how to behave with an aunt. Flirt, they say, with her a little:
She is a woman of sanguine temperament, her head is hot, she can very easily be carried away by some dandy, the devil knows what kind of mechanic he will fall into ... There is no god in these henchmen. ... And here, you understand, would you like your own, experienced person, they say. And the wolves are full, and the sheep are safe ...
Glumov adds that it would be nice to introduce him to the rich widow of the tradeswoman Turusina - if he takes care of her niece, even clings to her, while flirting with her aunt, no one will think anything bad. Mamaev supports this idea and promises to facilitate the entry of Glumov into the Turusina circle.
Cleopatra Lvovna forces Glumov to confess her love. He eloquently tells her about his passion. He received carte blanche from his uncle and is not at all embarrassed:
I am your slave for life. Punish me for my insolence, but I love you. Make me silent, make me not look at you, forbid me to admire you, even worse - make me be respectful; but don't be mad at me!
Action Three
In a brief summary, “For every sage is quite simplicity,” we mention that this action begins at the Turusina dacha in Sokolniki. Talking with her niece Mashenka, the widow shows herself to be suspicious and superstitious: she postponed the walk only because some woman crossed the road, and even on the right side. It was a bad sign, Turusina believes, and the signs must be trusted. It is known that
a bad meeting is more eloquent than any words.
Turusina scolds the signs of attention of the hussar Kurchaev, who is showing her niece, because he laughs at the implants in her house. She herself considers all kinds of wanderers and holy fools to be holy people.
In addition, she receives letters of caution from a mysterious anonymous author. The messages say that Kurchaev is a bad party for her niece:
... Your choice of such a person as Yegor Vasilyevich Kurchaev makes me shed tears in advance about the fate of poor Mashenka ...
The prudent Mashenka is not in love with Kurchaev, she tells her aunt that she agrees to any suitable groom, if only they would give her a good dowry. The girl is bored, she wants to shine and have fun.
Turusina wonders: where can I get such a person? After all, we also need a “sign from above” - to accept someone as a contender for the heart of Masha without a recommendation from heavenly forces, she will not dare.
Search for the groom
In the brief description “For every sage is rather simple”, we say that Krutitsky, who came by the way to visit her, asks if she has a good young man, a groom for Masha. He warmly recommends Glumov:
Modest beyond his years, smart, a nobleman, can make an excellent career. Generally a nice fellow ... He was recommended to me for some activities; Well, I, you know, tried it, that, they say, you are a bird! Guy even where! It will go far, far, you will see.
Gorodulin also favorably speaks about him, having glanced after:
Honest man, I don’t know anything else. Besides jokes, a great person.
The widow thinks: if two such different people speak well of one person - it may very well be that this Glumov is a suitable groom for Masha.
Turusina is calling for rooting to spread the cards. Next comes Manefa. Turusina asks if she had a vision of the groom for Masha.
There was a vision, it was. Egor is coming from the high mountains. -
the soothsayer mysteriously reports. - "So, then, his name is Egor. And what is he like?" - impatiently asks Turusin. Manefa replies that they say he is blond and that guests will come soon.
And then a servant enters and announces that Neil Fedosevich Mamaev and an unfamiliar young blond master came with him.
"Belokur! Ah!" - exclaim the ladies.
The incoming Mamaev represents his nephew Yegor Dmitrievich Glumov.
"Egor! Ah!"
Thus, the mysterious promises of Manefa plus the recommendations of Mamaev provide Glumov with the favor of Turusina.
Action four
Here, the first phenomenon, “For every sage is rather simple” (in abbreviation) begins in Krutitsky’s reception room, where Glumov gives him the work he did - “A Treatise on the Harm of Reforms in General”. He further reports that he remembers the whole treatise by heart, his language is so graceful, his thoughts are deep and there is room for learning the mind. Glumov cites whole quotes from the treatise from memory. The old man Krutitsky is flattered.
The hero says that he was going to marry the niece of Turusina and asks the old man to be imprisoned by his father. He promises.
The next after Glumov left, Mamaev appears. In a conversation, Krutitsky informs her that the young man has found his chosen one and has already gathered under the crown. And supposedly solely for great love, and not because of money. For Cleopatra Lvovna this news is a big blow - how come, because Glumov swore love to her! She says goodbye and quickly leaves.
The action returns to the room of Glumov, in which the play began. We find the protagonist recording all his conversations in a diary. He describes his acquaintances, including uncle and his wife. Painstakingly calculates the cost of gifts to servants and engrafters.
The angry Cleopatra Lvovna enters the room. She accuses Glumov of lying and betrayal. He convinces him that he does not want to marry at all, and he does not like the bride, and that’s all, they say, uncle wants to arrange his fate because of a large dowry - "not all he needs to be a poor scribe." The hero promises now to tell Mamaev that he is not going to marry. Asks the aunt to wait and not interfere. She promises, but suspects that Glumov is lying, so that she calms down and falls behind.
And then Golutvin comes to Glumov, and the hero asks Mamaev to go to the next room until he gets rid of the visitor.
An unexpected guest turned out to be a blackmailer. He asks Glumov for twenty-five rubles for the “story of his life” that he has collected: how the hero builds his career and achieves a rich bride, and also that he sends Turusina anonymous letters about Kurchaev. Glumov drives the visitor away and leaves after him, escorting him.
Diary Theft
Mamaeva enters the scene from the next room. She finds on the table an abandoned diary of Glumov and flips through it. What she reads is surprising and indignant - Cleopatra Lvovna decides to pick up these notes in order to avenge her betrayal:
Oh, how can I humiliate him! How pleasant it will be for me to see his humiliation! When everyone turns their backs on him, they will abandon him, throw him out, like an unsuitable thing, what a meek little sheep he crawls to me.
Unsuspecting of Mamaev’s plans, Glumov finally promises her eternal love and strongly confirms that he is ready to abandon the marriage with Turusina’s niece. The lady pretends to believe him and leaves.
And Glumov begins to prepare for a visit to the rich bride Mashenka. It is then that he discovers the loss of a diary. Realizing that he was most likely abducted by an offended aunt, he is going to rush at her feet - "go straight to the mouth of a hyena" - and use all his eloquence so that she does not take revenge on him. There is nothing left for him to do.
Fifth action
The denouement is an indispensable component of a dramatic work. In the summary “For every sage is quite simplicity”, we mention that it advances in the dacha of Turusina.
Mashenka is perplexedly sharing with Kurchaev that the matter is going to the wedding somehow by itself, very quickly: all friends recommend Glumov, the aunts and Manef’s wanderers see him in a dream.
- My fate is in the hands of aunt, and she is completely fascinated by him.
Glumov skillfully plays the widow's superstitions and tells her how he was with the fortuneteller, and she informed him that he would soon be taken to the house, where he would meet his bride. And on the same day, uncle brought him to Turusina. The suspicious widow believes this story unconditionally.
A postman arrives, brings a newspaper sheet sealed in an envelope. On it is an article about Glumov - "How People Get Out" and his portrait. Glumovsky diary is also included here. The whole society gathered at Turusina opens on a bookmark and reads about how the hero handed out money to fortunetellers of the widow and Manefe so that they would predict the marriage of Glumov and Mashenka. It was also paid to the servant who brought Mamaev to Glumov’s apartment at the beginning of the play. Officials know the handwriting - they have already looked narrowly at Glumov’s hand.
A hero enters. He is presented with a diary. He does not deny anything, but defending himself, he says that they all need a man like him. Indeed, officials understand this. And although the shameful hero leaves, after him, like an unheard of comfort, a replica of Krutitsky sounds:
But he is still, gentlemen, whatever you say, a business man. It is necessary to punish him; but, I suppose, after some time you can caress him again.
We have given a brief summary of the play "For Every Wise Man of Pretty Simplicity."
Egor Glumov and other characters
Here are the requirements that Yegor Glumov considers necessary for a successful career. These words are very similar to the monologue of Molchalin from Griboedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit”, which once again proves this type of universality almost at all times:
Do not argue when not ordered, laugh when the authorities decide to pare, think and work for the bosses and at the same time assure them with all possible humility that I am supposedly stupid that you yourself ordered to order all this. In addition, you need to have some more lackey qualities, of course, combined with a certain degree of grace: for example, jump up and stretch out so that it is both servile and slavish, and servile and at the same time noble, straightforward, and graceful. When the boss sends for something, you need to be able to make a slight flutter, a cross between a gallop, march and ordinary step.
At the same time, the Glumovsky image is completely incomparable with the main character of another, earlier play by Ostrovsky, "Profitable Place" - Zhadov. This idealist had his own principles, he believed that you can live according to conscience, not having served yourself and not taking bribes:
I want to preserve the dear right to look everyone’s eyes directly, without shame, without secret remorse, to read and watch satire and comedy at bribe takers and to laugh with a sincere heart, with a frank laugh.
And now he is replaced by the unprincipled scum Glumov, smart, cunning, hypocritical. He is surrounded by stupid phrase-mongers, reactionaries, bigots and corrupt hacks - Mamaev, Gorodulin, Krutitsky, Turusina, Golutvin. Of the simple honest people here, only the hussar Kurchaev - and he, in the general opinion, does not represent anything and does not promise in the future.
The meaning of the name
The title of the play “For Every Wise Man of Pretty Simplicity” briefly conveys its content. This is a Russian proverb, the meaning of which is that any, even the most cunning and quick-witted person can "blunder" - you can’t know everything in advance, especially if you are among the same wise men. That is, to console oneself with the hope that everything will go as it should, is possible, but dangerous and unwise. The word "simplicity" in this phrase should be understood as naivety.
Ostrovsky often used Russian sayings in the names of his works. Their subjects are diverse. Such are his comedies “Not All Shrovetide for a Cat,” “There Wasn’t a Penny, But Suddenly an Altyn,” “Don’t Sit in Your Sled,” “True, But Better Happiness,” etc.
We have given a brief summary of the play "For Every Wise Man of Pretty Simplicity." An analysis of it, as well as an overview of the characters in the play, is also presented in the article.