The death of Ivan the Terrible
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| Title: | The death of Ivan the Terrible |
| Original title: | Смерть Иоанна Грозного (Smert 'Ioanna Groznogo) |
| Genus: | tragedy |
| Original language: | Russian |
| Author: | Alexei Tolstoy |
| Publishing year: | 1866 |
| Premiere: | 1867 |
| Place of premiere: | St. Petersburg |
| Place and time of the action: | Moscow in 1584 |
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The death of Ivan the Terrible ( Russian Смерть Иоанна Грозного ) is a historical tragedy in five acts by Alexei Tolstoy . The first printing took place in 1866, the first performance in 1867. The piece is the prelude to a dramatic trilogy that also includes Tsar Fedor Ivanovich (1868) and Tsar Boris (1870).
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first act
Three years have passed since Ivan murdered his own son, heir to the throne, Ivan Ivanovich. In view of his repentance and the incapacity of his son Fyodor to the throne, he ordered Prince Mstislavsky to convene the council of boyars and elect a new tsar. Prince Sizki suggests electing Zacharin-Jurjeff, the brother of Ivan's first wife, but he refuses. Other candidates are rejected. Finally Boris Godunoff takes the floor and pleads for imploring Ivan to continue to rule. Sizki makes the point that Ivan's rule was bloody and terrible, but Boris sees Ivan as a lesser evil, given the imminent threats posed by armies of foreign nations. Boris also agrees to speak with the Tsar.
Ivan himself recapitulates in a monologue his reign, his bloody deeds, the murder of his son. He hopes that the council of boyars will soon present him with a successor.
A messenger appears and reports that the siege of Pskov by the Poles initially failed. In addition, a letter arrives from Kurbski, Ivan's former confidante who has fled and is now in Polish-Lithuanian service. The letter is both derisive at Ivan's military defeats and offensive.
Finally the tsar receives the council of boyars. Godunoff informs him that it was unanimously decided to keep Ivan as tsar instead of the free choice of a successor. Ivan accepts this against his will and remains tsar. He notices that Sizki did not come with us. He interprets this as an act against him and orders him to be killed.
Second act
Ivan wants to dissolve his marriage and marry a niece of the Queen of England. Zacharin-Jurjeff and Godunoff are concerned about this. In both conversations, Godunoff states that if he were tsar, he would demonstrate how a government of gentleness and grace would bring the best out of the fatherland. In a one-on-one conversation with Ivan, Boris tries to talk him out of his (then eighth) marriage because the people are against him breaking his seventh wife, the mother of the heir to the throne, Dmitri.
Meanwhile the two Nagoy, Mstislawski, Belski and Schuiski forge a plot against Godunoff, who threatens to become more and more influential. They want to direct popular displeasure against Godunoff in order to overthrow him. The noble Bitjagoffski, who made his fortune, is supposed to organize the incitement. In return, the plotting boyars take over his debts. Prokofy Kikin is said to support Bitjagoffski's efforts.
Suddenly Godunoff arrives. All but Schuiski and Bitjagoffski leave the round. When Shuiski is called to the Tsar, Godunoff tells Bitjagoffski that he knows about the plot against him. He now orders Bitjagoffski to act for him and incite the people against the other boyars.
Third act
Zacharin-Jurjeff brings the tsarina the news that the tsar is looking elsewhere for a new wife. The tsarina, in turn, warns Zacharin-Jurjeff of Godunoff's hypocrisy.
The tsar appears and tells the tsarina directly that he would like to send her to the monastery in order to get married elsewhere. He would like to leave the city of Uglich to his son Dmitri . Zacharin-Jurjeff warns the tsar against this step, but he doesn't want to know anything about it.
Haraburda, an envoy from the Polish king, arrives at the tsar's court and delivers the message that Poland will make peace if Russia surrenders the cities of Smolensk, Polotsk, Novgorod and Pskov. Ivan is beside himself, but Haraburda insists on the demand and also reports that both the Poles and the Swedes are on their way back to Russia and that Narva has already surrendered. Ivan screams wildly and collapses.
Fourth act
On a market square on the Moskva, within sight of the Kremlin, the people's displeasure with the rise in prices is expressed. Noble Kikin, disguised as a pilgrim, attributes this situation to Godunoff. Bitjagoffski came on the scene and spreads that Shuiski and Belski wanted to poison the Tsar and Godunoff had prevented it. Bitjagoffski also unmasked the alleged pilgrim Kikin, a commotion breaks out, the people don't know who to believe and want to kill both of them. Gregory Godunoff (a relative of Boris) appears and announces that Boris wants to buy up all grain and flour and distribute it free of charge. Then the people rush to Kikin.
Meanwhile, in the tsar's palace, Ivan tries to read the stars and thinks that he has announced the hour of his imminent death. His marriage to the Englishwoman is off the table, he apologizes to his wife and warns his son Feodor that he will soon be tsar. Ivan summons two fortune tellers to predict the hour of his death on March 18th (the day of Cyril ). In order to repent in time, he has Boris read a (long) list of the victims of his tyranny.
Ivan urges his son Feodor to rule with gentleness, to make peace with Poland and to accept Boris Godunoff as an advisor. But Feodor does not feel able to follow his father. News of the advance of the Tartars and local revolts arrived. A conversation with a hermit who has lived in solitude for 30 years and has now been forcibly taken to Iwan does not lead to any knowledge. Ivan summons the boyars and orders them to make peace with Poland and cede some cities to the Polish king. But they refuse to carry out the order because of their national honor.
Fifth act
March 18th is here, the Tsar seems to be doing better. Boris has the two fortune tellers fetched again and asks them about his own future. They foretell the throne of the tsar for him and he will rule for seven years. But they also prophesy obstacles for him, one of which he interprets as Dmitri, the youngest son of the Tsar.
The doctor Jakobi advises to keep Ivan out of all trouble, because an outburst of anger could kill him. So jugglers and buffoons are called in. Godunoff agrees again with Bitjagoffski, wants to know whether the people are stirred up enough against Schuiski and Belski.
Since he seems to be feeling better again, Ivan's mind has changed: He now has all sorts of treasures collected in order to send some of them to his future bride to England. Meanwhile, a fool and some buffoons have arrived.
While Iwan is playing chess with Belski, Boris steps in and reports that the fortune tellers insist, despite threats, that they were not wrong. Ivan is angry, he rages and falls to the ground. The doctors Jakobi and Elms determine the death of Ivan, Boris opens the window and announces the news to the people. Feodor doesn't know what to do and declares Godunoff to be his advisor. He calls out the new Tsar Feodor from the window. At the same time, Shuiski and Belski are said to be banned because they are said to have oppressed the people for years. Both are taken away immediately.
Bitjagoffski reveals himself to be an ally of Godunoff, Mstislawski and the two Nagoy brothers are surprised and are also banished. The Tsarina and Dmitri are sent to Uglich. Only Zacharin-Jurjeff is to remain at the court as an advisor. The people are promised food and wine for the next day, voices from outside celebrate the Tsar and Godunoff.
Full text
- the drama in the original Russian on Wikisource
German translations
- The death of Ivan the Terrible , Dt. by Caroline von Pawloff , Dresden 1868 ( this translation in the Google book search)
- The death of Ivan the horror , Dt. by Friedrich Fiedler , Halle 1911