Yashka · Chapter
II: Marriage at Fifteen explained
Maria, now fifteen, works for the Lazov family and begins a relationship with Lieutenant Vasili Lazov, who seduces her with promises of marriage.
What happens
Maria, now fifteen, works for the Lazov family and begins a relationship with Lieutenant Vasili Lazov, who seduces her with promises of marriage. When his regiment is transferred, he abandons her, leading to a violent confrontation. Maria returns home to brutal beatings from her father. Desperate to escape, she marries Afanasy Bochkarev, a coarse soldier, only to find herself trapped in another abusive relationship. After Afanasy steals her savings, Maria attempts to kill him but is stopped by her father. She flees to Irkutsk, stowing away on trains.
Themes in this chapter
Gender and War
The Russo-Japanese War brings officers to Maria's town, leading to her seduction and abandonment, highlighting how war disrupts gender roles and exposes women to exploitation.
Suffering and Resilience
Maria endures brutal beatings from her father and husband, attempts suicide by illness, and ultimately flees, demonstrating her resilience in the face of relentless suffering.
Class and Oppression
Maria's status as a 'plain moujitchka' prevents her marriage to an officer, and her poverty forces her into abusive labor and marriage, illustrating class-based oppression.
Characters to notice
- Maria Bochkareva
Narrator and protagonist; at fifteen, she works for the Lazovs, is seduced by Vasili, abandoned, beaten by her father, marries Afanasy, and eventually flees to Irkutsk.
- Lieutenant Vasili
Younger Lazov brother who seduces Maria with promises of marriage, then abandons her when his regiment is transferred.
- Afanasy Bochkarev
A coarse soldier Maria marries to escape her father; he becomes abusive, steals her savings, and drives her to attempt murder.
- Nastasia Leontievna Fuchsman
Maria's employer at the shop; Maria leaves her service to work for the Lazovs.
- Shura
Maria's sister who moved to Irkutsk; Maria attempts to join her after fleeing Afanasy.
Key passages
“Vasili said he loved me. Did I love him? If I did, it was more because of the marvellous world into which he was to lead me, than on account of himself.”
Maria reflects that her attraction to Vasili was less about genuine love and more about the promise of a better life he represented.
Reveals Maria's pragmatic view of relationships as a means of escape from poverty.
“Marriage had become to me the symbol of a life of independence and freedom.”
Maria saw marriage not as a romantic union but as a path to autonomy and relief from her oppressive home life.
Highlights the theme of survival and agency in a constrained society.
“I was mad with fury upon discovering the loss. What the money meant to me in the circumstances is difficult to describe. It was my blood, my sweat, a year of my youth.”
Maria's rage at Afanasy stealing her savings stems from the immense personal sacrifice the money represented.
Illustrates the extreme value of small savings for a poor woman and the betrayal by her husband.