The Peasants · Chapter
Chapter XII explained
During Boryna and Yagna's wedding feast, the village gathers to celebrate, but envy and gossip simmer among the women.
What happens
During Boryna and Yagna's wedding feast, the village gathers to celebrate, but envy and gossip simmer among the women. Kuba, dying in the stable, struggles to eat the sausage brought for him and slips into a coma, his soul departing. The dance and merriment continue, with Ambrose and the Voyt entertaining, while Yuzka reports Antek's rejection of her gifts and the misery in his home.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Injustice
The villagers' envy of Boryna's wealth and the gossip about Yagna's undeserved fortune highlight class tensions.
Community and Conflict
The wedding brings the community together, but underlying conflicts—Antek's rejection, Kuba's isolation, and the women's spite—reveal fractures.
Poverty and Survival
Kuba's inability to eat despite the abundance of food underscores the harsh realities of poverty and illness.
Characters to notice
- Yagna Borynova
The bride, who escapes the room amid laughter and later serves guests with Boryna.
- Maciej Boryna
The groom, proud of his wedding, goes around with a bottle and serves the guests.
- Kuba
Lying in the stable, unable to eat, he slips into a coma and his soul departs.
- Yuzka Boryna
Brings food to Kuba, reports Antek's anger and Hanka's quarrels, then tends to the mare.
- Ambrose
Entertains the company with witty sayings and jests, recognized as the leader in banter.
- Yankel
The Jew who stops by, drinks to the couple's health, and leaves quietly to retrieve his gun.
Key passages
“Lord! and to think that all this goes to one that is undeserving!”
The villagers express resentment that Yagna, whom they consider unworthy, inherits Boryna's wealth.
Reflects the theme of social class and injustice.
“He broke the food, bit and chewed it—but could swallow nothing.”
Kuba tries to eat the sausage but is too weak to swallow.
Illustrates Kuba's physical decline and the theme of poverty and survival.
“Water for a christening, vodka for a wedding, and tears for a death!”
Ambrose recites a folk saying linking different drinks to life events.
Highlights the cultural traditions surrounding weddings and death.