The play Irkutsk Story by Alexey Arbuzov, ingenious for its time, may appeal to many readers. To get acquainted with the idea, the main characters and a brief outline of the plot, it is worth reading a brief summary. It can be found in this material along with an analysis of the work.
The beginning of the story
Arbuzov’s play “Irkutsk Story” begins with the author talking about two girls named Valya and Larisa. They work together near one of the city's construction projects in a grocery store. The author focuses on the first of the heroines. Vali was nicknamed Deshevka for her lifestyle and attitude to all events. The girl always does everything, guided by the first desire, and the consequences do not worry her. Vali's close friend, Viktor Boytsov, arranges for the girl to meet the engineer Sergey Seregin. He is the master who is responsible for the performance of a walking excavator. Vitya is his assistant in work, and therefore knows his boss well.
Straight Talk
In continuation of the work of Alexei Arbuzov, “Irkutsk Story,” Victor promised to go with Valya to watch the film. Suddenly, he has additional work from the chief boss Stepan Serdyuk to repair the excavator. So that tickets are not lost and the girl is not upset, comrade Vali asks a friend to replace him at the session. He agrees and goes to view with her.
When the movie was over, Sergey and Valya sat on a bench in a nearby park and started a conversation. The girl shared her dreams and said that she wants to be like Carmen. She does not believe that such a woman can be a negative character, despite the fact that such a magnificent play was shot about her. Sergei also reveals the soul of Valais, talking about a failed marriage. The heroine asked about the reason for the breakup, but the excavator master answered only about fake love. Valya replied that she would like to believe in the existence of such powerful and true emotions, because being alone in this life is too scary.
Sudden event
A. Arbuzov’s play “Irkutsk Story” continues with the fact that two guys approach Sergey and Valya. They recognized the girl, and because of her nickname, insults started immediately. The man did not suffer this in the direction of his new acquaintance, and therefore hit one of the strangers in the face. Seeing this, Valya with an apology to Seregin ran away to her home.
After this event, they are transferred to the banks of the Angara, where two friends from the store are sitting near the Irkutsk construction site and drinking beer. Larisa listens attentively to the speech of twenty-five-year-old Vali. She speaks of a strange letter that she received not so long ago without an addressee. It was written abstract things about the benefits of each person to the world. It was also said that any action should be aimed at improving and self-improvement. In the end, it was said that happiness cannot be felt when alone. Reflections on a strange letter are interrupted by Victor, who comes to two friends. Larisa immediately leaves to leave him alone with Valya.
Strange celebration
The events of Arbuzov's work , Irkutsk History, continue on the banks of the Angara. Valya admits to Victor that he wants to get married, and calls him a candidate. The guy just smiles at such a statement, because he does not take it seriously. He replies to Vala that they are fine now, and marriage will be superfluous.
After that, the author takes the readers to the girls in the hostel, where several people gathered to celebrate Vali's birthday. The heroine calls Victor and Sergey to her, but does not mention a personal holiday. She simply invites men to visit, who suspect nothing. Victor was immediately glad that his friend would also be present, because he did not want to be in the company of the girls all evening for various reasons. During the fun, Sergei advises his subordinate to marry Val, but he replies that he does not want to bind himself with these bonds. Suddenly, the culprit of the holiday takes out a letter from a stranger and begins to read. At the end of it, a proposal was made to marry.
Stunning recognition
In retelling Arkuzov’s Irkutsk History, it is briefly necessary to describe the scene of the birthday celebration in the hostel. Reading the letter caused confusion among all those present in the room. After some time, Valya declares that he does not want to connect life with a stranger and would prefer Victor, but he refuses.
Then Sergey announces that he is the author of those lines that have recently sounded in the room. An excavator foreman added to his speech a statement that he would never admit to writing an anonymous letter. Only now Victor refused Vali, and therefore he has the moral right to talk about it. In a fit of emotion, the girl kicks her friend out of the room.
Vitya is shocked by the events, but he obeyed his girlfriend. At the exit, he said that he would remember all of today. Life for a guy loses all meaning, and he begins to seek solace in alcohol. He even stopped going to work, and this threatens with dismissal.
Love twists and turns
In the story of Aleksey Arbuzov “Irkutsk Story”, real love ups and downs begin from the moment of the holiday. Victor began to skip work, and when he appeared, he always started a conversation with Sergey about Val. He asked to leave the girl, but the master refused, because the feelings in the heart were real.
After that, the story is gaining momentum, and events sweep past the readers with great speed. The author shows the wedding of Vali and Sergey with guests, fun, happy newlyweds. Larisa at the wedding meets an attractive construction manager named Serdyukov. Victor also comes to the holiday with a gift in the form of a ring. He gives it to his ex-girlfriend and asks not to forget him. Since then, a lot of time has passed, Sergey and Valya live a family life and twins were born to them. The girl was named Lena, and the guy Fedor. The husband of the heroine insists that she needs to get an education, and then go to work. He argues this with the fact that everyday activities should be at least a little fun.
Family tragedy
It is difficult to convey in the summary of the Irkutsk History of Arbuzov all the subtleties of both the main events and the tragedy that occurred on July 30.
Incredible heat was in the yard, so Sergey decided to take a towel and go for a swim in the river. On the way, two kids with fishing rods join him. They go fishing, and for this they will use a raft. In the meantime, Victor comes to Val and says that he can not forget her. The girl is in love with Sergey, and therefore can not help the guy. At this time, a friend of the Rodik family arrives and reports that Vali's husband drowned. He saved two children that rolled over on a raft. He managed to do this, but he himself did not survive.
The tragedy came as a surprise to all the acquaintances of this strong man. The foreman’s team immediately decides to work in his place, and give the proceeds to the family of the deceased employee.
Final part
The good intentions of the brigade are not supported only by Victor for personal reasons. Resentment is not a girl, anger and other strong negative feelings were not to blame. The guy just thinks that accepting money in such a situation will be humiliating.
Victor loves Valya and recalls Sergei’s desire. He said that she should go to study in order to earn a living on her own. Despite all the arguments, the heroine accepts money from the brigade. On his part, accusations against Valentina could look incredibly stupid in the light of the tragedy, but he only wanted to preserve the dignity of the girl. Victor invites her to their team to work on shifts. She agrees, and after some time, feelings for a former friend begin to resurrect. Valya does not admit it, because she hasn’t figured out her emotions yet.
The play concludes with the fact that Sergey’s voice wishes Viktor success on a difficult life path. This summary contains all the main plot twists and turns that happened in the work with the characters.
The power of one man
In the analysis of the Irkutsk History of Arbuzov, it should be noted first of all that love here is not the main topic. It is organically woven into the plot, the author focuses on completely different aspects. The work, first of all, shows a man of a new time, who is a strong personality. He realized himself and helps to do this to another character who is rushing around on different sides of his life's journey. This is shown by the example of Sergey and Vali. The girl could not find a soul mate for herself, she always followed the first impulse of her heart. Because of this, she was close to a moral decline, but her acquaintance with Sergey changed everything. With one letter and recognition that he is the author, the man destroys the cynicism of the girl.
Valya loved Victor, but only Sergei offered her exactly what she wanted most. The man provided support, care and a good family life. The rest of Vali's gentlemen wanted only short-term feelings, which is why the offensive nickname of the main character appeared.
Loss awareness
An analysis of the work “Irkutsk Story” by Arbuzov cannot do without mentioning the love triangle. The destruction of cynicism is only one side of the relationship. Metamorphoses with the main character and Victor are revealed to the reader. He always took Vala lightly, did not think about marrying, because of this they could have laughed at him at work. He even spoke not too kindly about her, but at one point Sergey appeared.
A strong personality immediately upsets the natural order of affairs with a marriage proposal. Valya gets what he wants, and Victor only after losing realizes his feelings. In an analysis of Arkuzov’s Irkutsk History, one cannot fail to note that Sergei’s death is a dramatic moment that shows how he changed the lives of other people. Valya went to another job, Victor no longer hides his feelings. Sergey’s statement that people should make the world better, as if they were heard. That is why in the end he sounds from him a wish for success to Victor on his life path.