Short Fiction · Chapter
Sorrow explained
The turner Grigory Petrov, a drunkard and idler, is transporting his dying wife Matryona to the hospital through a severe snowstorm.
What happens
The turner Grigory Petrov, a drunkard and idler, is transporting his dying wife Matryona to the hospital through a severe snowstorm. He mutters to himself about how he will plead with the doctor, Pavel Ivanitch, and promises to reform. But when he finally checks on her, he discovers she has died. Overcome with grief and regret, he realizes he wasted forty years of marriage in drunkenness and abuse, and now it is too late to make amends. He later wakes up in the hospital to find his arms and legs have been amputated due to frostbite, and he dies soon after.
Themes in this chapter
Mortality and Legacy
The sudden death of Matryona forces Grigory to confront the brevity of life and his wasted years, leading to his own death shortly after.
Suffering and Compassion
Grigory's belated regret and his wife's silent suffering highlight the theme of compassion that comes too late.
The Passage of Time
Forty years of marriage are recalled as a fog of drunkenness and quarrels, emphasizing how time slips away unnoticed.
Characters to notice
- Pavel Ivanitch
The doctor at the hospital; the turner imagines pleading with him and later sees him after his amputation.
- Grisha
The turner Grigory Petrov, also called Grishka; a drunkard and craftsman who loses his wife and then his limbs.
Key passages
“To live over again, thought the turner.”
The turner wishes he could relive his life.
Expresses his regret and desire for a second chance.
“Say goodbye to your arms and legs. They've been frozen off.”
The doctor tells the turner his limbs have been amputated due to frostbite.
Reveals the physical consequence of his journey.
“I am grieving. Graciously forgive me! If I could have another five or six years!”
The turner begs for forgiveness and more time to make amends.
Highlights his desperation and remorse.