Short Fiction · Chapter
Mari d'Elle explained
Natalya Andreyevna Bronin, a celebrated opera singer, seeks a peaceful night's rest but is repeatedly disturbed by her husband, Denis Petrovitch Nikitin, who returns home drunk with a guest.
What happens
Natalya Andreyevna Bronin, a celebrated opera singer, seeks a peaceful night's rest but is repeatedly disturbed by her husband, Denis Petrovitch Nikitin, who returns home drunk with a guest. He rambles about business schemes involving sausage-skins and a private theatre, and their argument escalates into a bitter quarrel over money and dependence. After he leaves in offense, she reflects on how he transformed from a modest bookkeeper into a demanding hanger-on since her rise to fame.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Marriage
The marriage is portrayed as a source of conflict and resentment, with the husband exploiting his wife's fame and wealth.
Hypocrisy and Moral Failure
Denis criticizes others for hoarding capital while himself living off his wife's earnings and pursuing dubious schemes.
Social Class and Inequality
The singer's rise in status transforms her husband's behavior, highlighting the corrupting influence of wealth and fame.
Characters to notice
- Denis
The husband of the singer, now a drunken, scheming hanger-on who pesters his wife about business ideas and money.
- The Stranger
A provincial manager named Bezbozhnikov, brought home by Denis, who witnesses the singer's outburst.
Key passages
“Capital lying idle is no better than grass.”
Money that is not invested or used is worthless.
Denis uses this saying to justify his push for his wife to fund his business ideas.
“You are a woman, and I am a man anyway, a businesslike person.”
He dismisses her as less capable in financial matters due to her gender.
Reflects the patriarchal attitudes of the time, even as he depends on her earnings.
“When shall I be left in peace? It's revolting!”
She expresses her frustration at being constantly disturbed by her husband.
Highlights her desire for autonomy and the intrusion of her marriage into her personal life.