The old man (Gorky)

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The old man ( Russian Старик , Starik) is a drama by the Russian writer Maxim Gorki , which was written in Russia in 1915 and was published in Russian by Ladyschnikow in Berlin in the summer of 1918 . The play premiered on January 1, 1919 in Moscow's Maly Theater . Gorky had previously - on October 24, 1918 - participated in the first reading excerpt and read from the manuscript himself. Lenin attended a performance there with Nadezhda Krupskaya at the site of the premiere .

Alice Wagner's translation into German was published in 1957 as a stage manuscript by Henschel in Berlin.

As a model for his hero Mastakov, Gorky took the Russian merchant Ryabinin (Russian Рябинин).

Gorky in 1889

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Tatiana, the stepdaughter of the building contractor Ivan Vasilyevich Mastakov, is considered a good match. The dowry hunter Jakim Lukitsch Charitonow wants to pair his nephew Jakow with the girl. While Yakov plays along for the money, Tatiana hesitates.

Mastakov is connected to Colonel Sofya Markovna, who is over 30 years old. In his opinion, it was she who made him a great man. For years before, he had lived in fear of people.

The Colonel does not understand such a sermon. Mastakov, however, keeps talking around the bush. He needs your help.

An elderly pilgrim named Anton appears on the scene, accompanied by the girl Marina. Anton, who has recently called himself Pitirim, has been looking for Mitry Gusew - as Mastakov is actually called - for seven years. The newcomer does not come out with the language, but organizes a nerve-racking game of hide and seek with Mastakov. Mastakov asks in vain what exactly the old man wants from him.

After all - this much becomes clear - Anton would like to be rewarded for the years of his suffering. For eight years, he was exiled to a Siberian penal colony and did forced labor for rape on a minor. On the other hand, his fellow inmate Mastakov managed to escape after two and a half years.

Mastakov confesses to the Colonel that he was sentenced to four years as a 20-year-old recruit. He is said to have stabbed a cattle dealer while he was drunk. Mastakov could never remember such an act. He thinks he's innocent.

The Colonel wants to help Mastakov and overhears the dialogue between the former convicts from hiding. Anton wants to report Mastakov. The latter pounces on the old man. The Colonel drives in between. In private, the old man admits to the woman that it gives him “great pleasure in tormenting a person”. "The Lord God sent him for the sake of the truth". The Colonel appeals to the humanity of the old. In vain - he wants his head through the wall. Marina confesses to the Colonel that she is no longer a girl, but a convicted child murderer .

Mastakov chats about his past. Charitonov perks up his ears. He wants to take advantage of the shame and ask for a higher dowry. It doesn't come to that. Mastakov shoots himself in the mouth. It rips off his whole head.

The old man and the “girl” quickly run away. Marina accuses Anton of controlling Mastakov and not taking advantage of it. She had pictured it all so beautifully; wanted to marry Mastakov's stepson Pavel and keep the old man with him until his end. The old man could have had it with her.

Self-testimony

  • “... in this piece I wanted to show how repulsive a person is who is in love with his suffering and therefore feels entitled to take revenge on everyone and that for having suffered himself in life.
    But if a person is convinced that suffering entitles him to regard himself as an extraordinary personality and to take revenge on others for the unpleasantness he has been through - then, in my opinion, no person is to be respected deserved by one's neighbor. "

German-language editions

Used edition

  • The old. Scenes. German by Günter Jäniche. With an afterword and comments by Ilse Stauche. Pp. 169-237 in: Maxim Gorki: Dramen II. 557 pages. Vol. 22 from: Eva Kosing (ed.), Edel Mirowa-Florin (ed.): Maxim Gorki: Collected works in individual volumes. Aufbau-Verlag, Berlin 1974

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Stauche in the edition used, pp. 545–547
  2. ↑ Edition used, p. 209, 13. Zvo
  3. ↑ Edition used, p. 210, 15. Zvu
  4. ↑ Gorki, quoted in Stauche in the edition used, p. 546, 6th Zvu