Tarelkin's death
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| Title: | Tarelkin's death |
| Original title: | Смерть Тарелкина (Smert 'Tarelkina) |
| Genus: | Comedy joke (Komediâ-šutka) in three acts |
| Original language: | Russian |
| Author: | Alexander Vasilyevich Sukhovo-Kobylin |
| Publishing year: | 1869 |
| Premiere: | 1900 |
| Place of premiere: | Suvorin Theater, St. Petersburg |
| Place and time of the action: | St. Petersburg; based on the events in The Files |
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Tarelkin's death ( Russian Смерть Тарелкина ) is a “comedy joke” in three acts by Alexander Vasilyevich Sukhovo-Kobylin . It was published for the first time in 1869 and forms the conclusion of the trilogy of Suchowo-Kobylins drama, to which the previous plays Kretschinski's Wedding (1854) and The Acts (1861) belong.
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first act
In the previous drama The Files , Tarelkin had helped his superior Warrawin to drive the Muromskis into bankruptcy and the family man even into their deaths for their own enrichment. Despite several requests for a share of the profits, Tarelkin came away empty-handed when it came to dividing the booty. Since he is still unable to pay his creditors, he ponders a way out. He wants to fake his own death by masquerading as a senior and Councilor Kopylov occurs (this was just in Schlüsselburg buried and Tarelkin has worried his papers). He also stole compromising letters from Warrawin in order to blackmail him.
He prepared his own supposed corpse in a coffin as a human doll, some rotten fish are supposed to simulate the corpse odor. He has instructed his cook Mawruscha to steer the staging in the right direction. This also seems to work when Warrawin arrives with a squad of officers and examines the situation. Warrawin is delighted with Tarelkin's death and wants to have him buried quickly. On returning to the apartment of the allegedly deceased, he searches for the stolen papers, but only finds irrelevant documents - Tarelkin has taken the decisive ones.
Second act
Tarelkin, disguised as Kopylov, chats in his apartment with Raspljujew (Kretschinski's confidante from the first part of the trilogy ), who is now a district overseer and looks after the alleged death. The laundress Lyudmila appears, who is looking for Kopylov, who is said to be the father of her children. Tarelkin (who of course does not remember her as a false Kopylov) rejects her abruptly. Warrawin, disguised as Captain Polutatarinov, arrives next, along with Tarelkin's creditors, who are all angry that they can no longer collect their money. Warrawin has disguised himself to continue searching for the stolen documents in Tarelkin's apartment.
During the conversation between Tarelkin, Warrawin (both still disguised) and Raspljujew, Katschala enters and brings the news that Councilor Kopylov has passed away. So Tarelkin cannot be who he claims to be. As a result, there is anagnorisis and Warrawin recognizes Tarelkin - but does not tell Raspljujew about it, to whom he explains that Tarelkin must be a vampire . He is led away, at the transition from scene 7 to scene 8 the scene changes and we find ourselves in a secret private house of the police.
There Raspljujew reports the events to the police commissioner Och. When Warrawin shows up (again undisguised), he convinces the two of them once again that this is a bloodsucking, vampiric being, and promises them medals and awards for their participation in its conviction. But they shouldn't make the matter public and carry out the investigation themselves.
Third act
After Och and Raspljujew have consulted, the doctor Christian Christianowitsch Possible first appears and demands that the arrested person be given water, which is refused. Then the interrogations begin, with Raspljujew as the examining magistrate. Lyudmila is the first to appear, stating that Tarelkin is on the one hand Kopylov, but on the other hand is not (for the policemen a striking proof that it is a vampire). They have Lyudmila arrested because she claims to have been out of wedlock with Kopylov (he is the father of their children). The merchant Popugaitschikow, apparently also an acquaintance of Kopylov, buys himself free from his duty to give evidence. The officers (while being beaten) wrested the statement from the caretaker Pachomov that Kopylov always looked at the wall when he passed (which they interpret as a further indication of his being a vampire). And the landowner Tschwankin, on whose estate Kopylov had lived, also signs what the officials show him.
Finally, Tarelkin himself confesses to Raspljuev:
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In doing so, he implicitly admits his complicity in Muromski's death in The Files . From the point of view of Suchowo-Kobylin, Tarelkin's confession must be read primarily as a settlement with an entire profession.
In the last scene Warrawin succeeds in squeezing the stolen papers from the half-thirsty Tarelkin with a glass of water. The released Tarelkin, who reassumes the identity of Kopylov, turns to the audience and asks if anyone could use a landowner.
Full text
- the comedy in the original Russian on Wikisource
- Reading sample from the German translation by Ginka Tscholakowa and Heiner Müller
literature
- Rolf Fieguth : Aleksandr Vasil'evich Sokhovo-Kobylin: "Smert 'Tarel'kina". Komediia-shutka v trex deistviiax (1869). "Tarelkin's death". Comedy joke in three acts (1869). In: Herta Schmid and Jurij Striedter (eds.): Dramatic and theatrical communication. Contributions to the history and theory of drama and theater in the 20th century. Tübingen: Narr 1992. pp. 150-173. ( Article in Google Book Search - USA )
- Walter Kosglich : On the poetics of the trilogy of drama. A. V. Suchovo-Kobylin's “Pictures of the Past”. Frankfurt / M. u. a .: Lang 1993.