Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (Hesperus Classics) [Paperback]

Nikolai Leskov (Author), Gilbert Adair (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: Hesperus Classics | Publication Date: November 1, 2003

In this powerful and brutal short story, Leskov demonstrates the enduring truth of the Shakespearean archetype joltingly displaced to the heartland of Russia. Chastened and stifled by her marriage of convenience to a man twice her age, the young Katerina Lvovna goes yawning about the house, missing the barefoot freedom of her childhood, until she meets the feckless steward Sergei Filipych. Sergei proceeds to seduce Katerina, as he has done half the women in the town, not realizing that her passion, once freed, will attach to him so fiercely that Katerina will do anything to keep hold of him. Journalist and prose writer Nikolai Leskov is known for his powerful characterizations and the quintessentially Russian atmosphere of his stories.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'Leskov's tales and sketches have a kind of unpredictable originality about them. He can deliberately mix fact and fiction, giving the reader no idea of what will happen next, and whether it is 'true' or not.' - The Spectator"

About the Author

Journalist and prose writer Nikolai Leskov (1831-95), is remembered for his powerful characterisations and the quintessentially Russian atmosphere of his stories. Novelist, biographer, and critic Gilbert Adair is best known for his highly creative novels, including the 1997 Surfing The Zeitgeist, and his extensive writings on film.

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Hesperus Press (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843910683
• ISBN-13: 978-1843910688
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #725,875 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great work from a little known writer, May 7, 2006

By 

Alysson Oliveira "Alysson Oliveira" (Sao Paulo-- Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (Hesperus Classics) (Paperback)

Thinking of the Russian literature produced in the XIX Century, Nikolai Leskov is one of the least known writers -- however he produced great works, like this "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk". Starting with the Shakespearean allusion, the author created his own version of one of the most famous female characters from the theater.

This lady Macbeth is Katerina Lvovna, married to a man twice her age, unhappy and idle. Until the day she meets her servant Sergei Filipych, a lady's man who seduces her and leads the woman to do the most unthinkable things for love and money.

Idleness has produce great marital betrayals in literature -- "Anna Karieninna", "Madame Bovary", "Cousin Basilio" -- and the same happens here. What defers Leskov's literature from most dealing with the theme is that he doesn't judge or psychologizes his characters. Actually, he was a journalist and this gave him the background of being a very matter-of-fact writer. His story focus on action rather than on thoughts, and he is able to make everything believable and never shallow.

Katerina is a fascinating character, although we don't learn much about what is going in her mind. What we see is she being led by her desires albeit we can't understand much of it. She seems to be tired of her shallow existence and her boring husband, but these are just suppositions -- yet, very strong ones.

Hesperus edition brings two very informative introductions. The first written by Gilbert Adair gives the background of the novel, and a little about Leskov. The second one is written by Robert Chandler, who translated the book. The text gives information about the process of translating this specific novel and has some spoilers, therefore it is recommended to read it only after finishing the story.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Long Neglected Masterpiece, January 20, 2005

By 

L. Young "palmtree2000" (West Orange, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (Hesperus Classics) (Paperback)

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk is the masterpiece of the now mostly forgotten Nikolai Leskov. This novella is a powerful story of obsession and violence, which shocked readers in it's day, and still has the power to shock today. Shostakovich chose the story for an opera because of it's dynamic storyline. The young and beautiful Katerina Lvovna has married a merchant twice her age, in order to rescue herself from poverty. Bored and stifled in the marriage she becomes enmeshed in a steamy affair with Sergei,a steward of her husband. Obsessed with the feckless steward, Katerina will stop at nothing to keep him. Her obsession leads to murder, and prison in Siberia where once again her obsession with Sergei leads to a desperate act. Frank in it's depiction of unbridled sexuality and violence, the novella is as fresh today as when it was written. This short book is definitely worth the time of any serious reader of literary fiction.