On the Eve · Chapter
II explained
Bersenyev and Shubin walk along the Moskva river, discussing art, Italy, and their frustrations.
What happens
Bersenyev and Shubin walk along the Moskva river, discussing art, Italy, and their frustrations. They are met by Zoya, who summons them to dinner at the Stahov villa, where Elena and Anna Vassilyevna are waiting.
Themes in this chapter
Art and Creativity
Shubin's longing for Italy and his frustration with his artistic stagnation highlight the theme of creative aspiration and the search for inspiration.
Class and Social Hierarchy
The interactions between the young men, Zoya, and the Stahov family reflect the social dynamics of the Russian gentry and their domestic sphere.
Characters to notice
- Pavel Yakovlitch Shubin
Walks with Bersenyev, expresses desire to go to Italy, flirts with Zoya, and complains about his artistic stagnation.
- Andrei Petrovitch Bersenyev
Walks with Shubin, teases him about his failed trip to Little Russia, and remains calm and observant.
- Zoya Nikitishna Mueller
A young woman of eighteen who comes to fetch the friends for dinner; she is flirtatious with Shubin but annoyed by his teasing.
- Elena Nikolaevna Stahova
Mentioned as being in the garden, she rises from a bench as the group arrives.
- Anna Vassilyevna Stahova
Appears in the doorway of the villa, wearing a lilac dress and holding a handkerchief to shield from the sun.
Key passages
“The ancient Greeks would have beheld a nymph in it. But we are not Greeks, O nymph! we are thick-skinned Scythians.”
Shubin contrasts the romantic Greek view of nature with the modern Russian sensibility, calling themselves 'thick-skinned Scythians.'
Reflects Shubin's artistic and cultural self-deprecation.
“You will always be pluming your wings and never take flight. We know you!”
Bersenyev accuses Shubin of always dreaming of great achievements but never actually accomplishing them.
Highlights the tension between aspiration and action in Shubin's character.