Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk: Sameness and Difference In Nicolai Leskov

AHSTRACT

.4 ikel.i/iIe h<fOr.e 1~eskoi.p11l~li.v17etl "L(IL<I. . \ f~~c~hc~/h ~f'i\l/.ceri.sk". Tol.~/oj. tie.scrihet1 Machctli ( 1 5

L I L ~ I . L I I ~ I ~ I (1ho11/ L I .\pee1(1~.111irr. bu/ I I / / ~ I ~ I ( I / L > ( I . 111111iUrLlrie c~.irnirre~l. L(//er. iii l7i.s Essay o11

Sl~akespeare. he con~~~l~lir7c~ll1I1t11 .vl~clipl(!i'.s ii~e~~ep»i.vorro~~.s ilo/ onlj, hectrll.se ~ f ' i i~ l iu / /he!. il.vkc,ti l~ecltlel..c /o c1t11iii1.c. hi// ,fi , / I I . / I L I I / l iq , pr~ei~eri~ed /he111 ,fi.o/n i/iscoi.er,irig. 111 1/11, cirsc c?f'R4acbetli.

I . ~ L I L / ~ I . , Y i ~ ~ e r ~ c ~ ~ > ~ ~ ~ ~ i ~ c ~ ~ ~ / e ~ < / i ~ o ~ l i it~i/rie.~.sirig ( 1 geril~inlf~. "irielc~~er~der~/ (117~l,/;.ec> irillii-ii/~/~~l ii~ho, ii>i//i L I poi~~er;fi~I .~~1i1~i/.../c0111~1] ,u/r~~~gglc~ iigirirr.s/ L / / / C O I ~ ~ , ~ I ~ / ~ O I ~ . Y ir7 ... r~io~.t/Ii/!. ' ' . Z'lw Essay o11 Shahttspeare ic~~l.vpllhli.uhed ir7 1906. h11l /he itleas i/ ~ O I I I U ~ I ~ C L I Irt~il. Io~ig h<fi~i.e / /w/ . hecolnc L I

po/~l11(11. .slihjec/ ~f'~li.sc~ir.s.~ioi7 ir7 Ri/.usic//l liio~ar:) cir.cle.u. 12:ic.oli/i Lc.skoi: L I ~ ( I I . / ~ C @ U I I / i17 I ~ O . S C

c~ir.c31e.~. ~ I Y I S L I I ~ L I L ~ I ~ ~ I . ~ I . (?/'To/,Y/o!. '.Y i-iei1.s 0 1 7 ar,i trrid.vocieg: clrrtl i/r " L ~ ~ h . ~ \ k í c h e / h 0/',\11.\eri.uk " he seeriied /o cr.eci/e 11 s/or:i. /hn/ r.<flec/ed I i d . ~ / o ~ . '.Y itlec/.s. Zhe her.oi/i (?f'hi.s ii,or.k. K~I /C>I .~I ICI . ;.Y

~ o I ~ ~ ~ ( I I . c ~ ~ ~ / o L~~~!~,.\klche/h. hll/ .she ;.Y ~rl.\o u c~r.irnirrn1 i.e/..sior~ of'Tol.u/c!i. '.Y "irrc;kpentlen/ erriclfi~ee i r i~ l i i~ i~h~ i~ l " ii.hu. /hr.ollgh hc~r~p i~ .~ . s io r~~~ /e C O I I ~ I I ~ ~ / I I I C ~ I I I 1 0 Ioi~e, ".v/r~zlggle.s iigc~iii.s/ al1 corii~erriior~.u

iri. .. ri?o~.~/li/j. ", Hoii.ei-er.. /he ohjc~c-/ (?/'he/. 1oi.e. Ser.gei Fi/ipoi,ich. ;.Y .~ i /~rp/ j . ( / I ~ ~ I I I ~ L ~ L I I ~ ~ c ~ r ~ i ~ n i n ~ ~ l , irriil /hr.ollg/i hi.s pr.esericc K(~~er~iric~ '.Y Ijfi~ i.v ~luur.kericd. /lrcli ilc~.~~r~oyec/. Lc>.skoi. '.Y .SIOI;~. ( ? f ' / / ~ c >

i.cl~11ior7.vhip he/ii.coi KLI/L>I,~IILI t111~1Ser.gei /hewfi~r.e .uce/li.s /o /.</lec/ /he " q > i ~ l c ~ ~ ~ i i c ~ " ( ? f ' i r ~ f l ~ i e ~ ~ ~ ~ e O/ ' ic./iic/7 ToI.s/oj. i~ . l i~ .~~ei / . (KEYWOKDS: Shakespeart.. Leskov. Tolstoy. Lady Macbetl-i.

intlueilce).

ItESI! MEN

1 í7t1 t1c;c~otltr ot11c.v t lc t l l ~ r I .c, .~koi ~) i~h l ie . (~ i . ( / "Lt1i11 . \ I t ~ e I ~ ~ / l i c l ~ ' ,\l/.\cl17,~kc ". i i ) l , ~ / o i ile.ccr.ihicí

Macbeth corrio lrri ilr.trr71tr .vohr.e 1/11 t l e l i r i c ~ ~ i c ~ ~ ~ ~ c c.\;l,cr/r~e~irltrr t r i ~ r i t l i r c ~ oi 1í11in1ir irl.v/t117cit1 i*11I~irr..

-1ltí.v trtlc~ltrr71c. e17 .\11 tiisa!.o sobre Shakcspeare. .vcñli/(j i/i/cJ 1tr1c.v ohr.rr.i er.trri i9erierio.c.tr.\ 1 1 0 .\.tilo

/>O/' /O i/l/C i / / 7 ~ / / 1 t 1 / 7 ~ / / 1 L / / /OC'/O/' i I i / 1 / C J i / i / / 7 1 ~ / ' t / / ' i / . ,\;//O /)O/' 10 i/l/Ct /e' ~ / / 1 / > ~ i / ~ t / / 7 i/lIC ~ / ~ ~ ~ ~ 1 / / 7 / ' ~ ~ / ' t / . f ; / 7

e l c.tr.so i lc Macbetli. i r lo.\ Icc./or~c.\ c.c. le.\ irl7/7etlíir qt/cJ ~~r.c~.cc~riciirr~trri 1/11 "1117 .ver. 1ihr.c L.

~ l l l / c~ / lc~ / l t l ; c~ l l /e ¿///e>, c~o /7 /~o~ l c~ l~o .vo e.Y/7;/~i/l/,fi/e.\c c~c1/71/: tIc1 l l /c l lc / l~ c o / l / / ~ t l / O l / l / \ 1tr.v c0171~c~11ci011e.~

rilo1~ir1e.v ". El cnsa'o sobre SIiasAespeare,fi/c~~~~h/i~~~~Io eri 1900. /~e>/.o 1tr.v i i l e i ~ \ (/ircl c'ot11e11itr .\.e

hirhítrli corr i~er/ i i lo. rrrircho /icrl l /)o tr/~.tí.\. cl7 1oi1o de itkhr//e c ~ ~ / ~ . e /o,\ c.ír.c1110\ li/c>r.t~r,io.\ 1.11.vo.v.

.\,-ic.oItri Lc.\koi.. qirc ~ ~ ~ ~ r ~ ~ i c i l ~ i r h i r r r i cJ.\tov c í r . c ~ ~ ~ l o . ~ . e1.o ~1~1117ir~triIor t le lo.! i r r ~ ~ í c ~ ~ ~ l o c del tol./cl J.

. \ o ~ ~ i c i l i ~ i l tle Tol.vtoi. e11 "Lo i f i . , \ l i rc~l~c~/h tic dl/,vei7.~k " cl.eo i117r1 17i .~/or i i / c / i~e /~orec .c r.gflcjor lov

ii/c1t1.v 1Ic~ ToI.v/oi. Lcr 17eroí17u i /c~ c1.v/c2 Iil7ro. K~ r~ tv~ i r ze , .\e1 c~o171l7i11.ir t.017 Ltrtf i , ;\lirc~hc~111, l7ero r ~ e . ~ r r / / i ~

/ir117hic;11 1r17o i,er.viti17 c.r.irrii17ul i ie l ".\el. 1ih1.c c i17ilel1e17tlic~17/e " ife Tol.v/oi. ~ ~ I ~ L > I I ( 1 / ~ . i r ~ ~ ; . v ~ i c ~ Y / /

~r/~i1,vio17irtIo c~o11il71~or~~i.\o tic> i ~ ~ i i o r . "111c~17t1 c,o17//~1 1ot1tr.v /(I.\ ~ ~ o ~ ~ I ~ ~ I I ~ ~ ~ o ~ I L ~ , Y 1~101.cr1e.v ". :\'o oh.v/ i~r l /c~,

L ~ I ol?;e/o i ic~ .SI/ tr~iior., ,Ser.goi F;lij~orric17, IIO e.\ 111ti.5 qrre lrt7 ~ I ~ ~ I ~ I ~ ~ ~ I I ~ ~ I I / ~ i,11lgir1., J. 11 /r.t/i~i.v ile .SI/

~ ~ I . P . \ C I ~ C ~ ( I / i r i ' i i i t ~ t le f i ~ ~ v ' i r i o .vc 1.c O.YL.III.L,L.~UII j.,fit7~111rie17/c> i / ~ > . ~ / r ~ o ~ t r i I t ~ . LLI /71.\/01.itr tle Le,vkoi*

.voI~r,c, 1t1 reItrci(j17 ~~17t1.e Ki / /er . i~ i t r J. ASc,~,g~~ei 17irr,ecc, 1.c;f1c/t11. 1701. / trt i /o I ~ I "el~itic~117ic1 ' ' tic, 111

i ~ ? f l l ~ c ~ t i c i ~ r tle 111 /lo.v p/.ei,e17io 7i) l . \ /o i . (PAI.ARRAS C'I.AVE: Shakespeare. 1-eskov. Tolstoi. Lady Macbeth. iiitlueiicia).

Eveii Ibr a poct ofgeiiiiis. Sliakespcare played a surprisingI!- imporiaiit role in iiiiicteeiith ceiitiii~ Eiirope. Across the contiiieiit artists aiid thiiihei-s iiisisted oii tlic uiiiqiie cliaracter of his thought:

Hcrdei- i i i (;criiiaiiy. Victor Ilugo iii Frarice. Coleridgc ii i F:nglaiid al1 suggcsted tliat Sliakespeares's worh ofl'rrcd a thorougIil> European \:ision tliat could sen-e as a literan guide 1br tlic reiieual ot'the contiiieiit's culture: aiid tlie will to renew culture was e\-erywliere stroiig.

stroiip i11 (iermaiiy. as Nietzsclic observed. and stroiiger yet in Eiigland. Rut Nietzsche wriit oii

to add tliat i t was

stroiigest aiid most amaziiig by fai i i i tliat eiioilnous eiiipire ... uhere Europe. as it were. tlou-s back iiito Asia. i11 Russia. Tlicre the sireiigtli to m-ill has loiig been accuinulated aiid stored up. tliere tlie \vil1 - iiiicertaiii wliether as a will to negate

or a uill to al'tinii - is waiting ineiiacingl!. (Nietzsche 6. 708).

The iincertaiiit! of Russiail respoiises to tlic foriiis of cultural reiie\+-al i-eshapiiiy \\ester11 Europe iiie\,itabl!- extended to tlie coiltiiieiit's iien-l! elected poet-guide. Sliahespeare. Kussiaiis askcd tlieiiisel\~es - iii Nietzsclie's tei-111s - u-lietlier S1iakespeare.s dramas sliould be aftiriiied or

negated. and that c1uestioi-i. put reperitedly. nade Shakcspeare's presence ii-i the work of R~issiaii

authors vciy distii-ictivc. 111 AIIIILI A-III.L,I~~II(I. ii-istai-ice. Leo Tolstoy cei-isured the art of Kirig

Lcar througli Levii-i's lei-igthy coinincniai? «n an operatic reconstructioi-i of the alcl kiiig's inad

seenes: ii-i the '-klninlct of SI-ichigrci\~sk!. District". oile of'the inost celebratcd Ske/cl~e.s fi.0111 L I

HI I I I ICI . ' Y .411~1111. 1'11rgci1c\~ criticized the rnii-id of Shakespeare's inost celebratcd hero: and iii

"Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk". Nicolai l.eskov repro\red Shakespeare's notorious l-icroii-ic. thoiigh

in a speciíically Russirin Iishion. Iii thesc. ai-id in other norks like tl-ieiri. the directioi-i ofRussiaii

evril~iritioi~s shiíied. b~it tlic ii-iterest rarelq esiended t« ai-iytl-iii-ig as i-iai~o\v as simple iinitation

of Shakespeare's plots. (ir characters. or inoral tlieines. 111 tact. Russiai-i autl-ioi-s seemed ansious

to turii thc Ei-iglisl-i drainatisi's irrigedies ii-ito arenas of debate ii-i wl-iich they coiild dctii-ie tl-ie distii-icti\.e character oftheir own uork. Respoi-iding to Shakespeare in ihis i\ay still. ot'course.

ii-idicated a stroi-ip Shakespeareaii iniluei-icc because. as 1-larold Bloom has poii-ited o~it . such debates record a searcli for sii-ipularity or ii-idepei-idei-ice tiom a pouerliilly felt prcseiice (Blooiu 5 -1 6): but the practice ineai-it that Sl-iakcspcare's influence iii nineteei-itl-i cei-itiii-y Russia \\vuld

be i-i-ieasured iiiost satisfactori1~- by assessing the differei-ices \vhich autl-iors souglit to creatc bet\~~cei-i tlieir owii works ai-id those ofthe great Ei-iglisl-i drainatist. Ccrtainly it was a sense ol'

ditterei-ice tl-iat Turgeilc\. dc\leloped in Iiis essaq- o11 H([llde/ ( I I I L ~ < ) ~ I ~ . Y o I ~ . aild that Tolsto!, ~inderlii-ied - i-i-iucl-i inore einpliaticall!- - in -'Shakespeare and tlic Drama". 'lliose cssays iuake clrar that cultivatii-ig dit'terei-ices was a way of fcicusii-ig Kussiai-i work in order to presei-it ideas

about that coui-itiy's life. and about tl-ie literature its a~itl-iors tl-iouglit that life could or should produce. Hut \\hctl-ier tl-iis u a s the case witl-i Lesko\j is more difficuli to kno\v sincc. ui-ilikc .l'urga-icv and -folsioy. he lefi 110 essa!; o11 the subicct tci tirinly ii-idicatr thc directioi-i ofhis ideas.

Al1 \re ha\-e is a lictioi-i that oftkrs riddliiig allusioi-is to i tk ichc~l~.

We do. o11 tl-ie othcr hand. ki-iow soinetl-iii-ig about tl-ie wa!- I.esko\.'s fainous coi-itci-i-iporar)- responded to Shakespease's play. A decade before tlic publicatioii oi' "Lady

Macbeth of Mtsensk". Tolsto!; reponed to Iiis wifc that I-ie had jusi tiiiished reading itI(lc*he/h "wit1-i great carc". It M ~ S . he said. "a t'arcical play by a clever actos with a good ineinoi?.. m110

rcad a lot of cle\.er books - ai-i iinpro\red Robber Ciirkin" (Tolstoy. Lc//el.s 366). l'l-ic rct'crence Mas to N.I. Pastucl-iov's iecently publisl-ied novel about a spectacular hui ultiinately muiidane criininal. What To l s t o~~ ii-iieilded by the coinparisciii is inore fully developed i i i Iiis latcr cssay o11

-'Shakespeare ai-id tl-ie 1)rain;i" i i i \vl-iicl-i I-ie argued that Shakespeare's tragedies were characterized by a i-iuinber ofanomalous cthical assumptioi-is drawi-i from thr author's readii-igs ainoi-ip thc "clever books" of sceptical philosophers. For Shakespeare. Tolstoq- said.

inoralit!-. like politics. was a inatter in \vliicli. owing io tl-ie coiiiplcsiiq al'

ciscuinstanccs ai-id niotives. oiie cannot cstablisli any prii-iciplcs: aiid in tliis he agrees \vi111 Bacoii aiid Aristotle - therc are no positi\.e religious and inoral laws. (Tolsio! . ,W(~kc.c./?crii.~~ 87)

( ' ~ i ~ i r l c ~ i . i i o ~ </L . 1 i /o/(>gio I t ig lec~i . \«l. 7.2. 2001. pp. 03- I OF

1-liat assuniption ~vould seein to proinise a radical approach to qiiestions oi'moral conduct.

espcciall!- whcn a second Sliakespeareaii piinciplc is addcd to it. This secoiid priiiciple is that "activity is good. and inactivity is evil". \vliich is to say that "Sliakespeare prelkrs tlie principie of Alesander 101' Macedonia] to tliat of Diogenes". or "deatli and iii~ii.der to abstiiiciice and

Wisdoiii" ( 85). Por Tolsto!. thesc were ilic real preinises iindcrl~~iiig blacbeth's so-callcd Iieroic stature. But to understand why such lieroisiii was trapic. onc liad to kiio~r that Sliakcspeare

thought it

stupid and liai-inful tor tlie individual to revolt agaiiist. or eiideavour to

o\-ertliro~v. the limits ofestablished religious aiid siate torms. Sliakespeare ...

\\ould abhor an independent aiid fiee individual who. with a powerftil spirit. should stiuggle agaiiist al1 convciition in politics and iiioialit!-. (88)

Accordiiig to Tolstoy. this created aii aiioinaly central to Sliakespeare. wlio evidently believed that

tlie practica1 nicdoin of inen coiild iiot Iiave a higher ob.ject thaii the iiitroductioii

into societ! oí' the greatest spontaneit) aiid freedoin: but becauae of this oiie should safeguard a\ sacred and irrefragable tlic iiatural la\\s ot'societc - one should respect tlie existing order of tliiiigs. (88-89)

Tragcdy thereforc betkll an hcroic Macbcth Ior tlie siiiiple reasoii that lic did not respect the sacred iiattirc of the existing order. which is LO say. tlie privileges oSpropert!-. kiiisliip. rank. riiid

positioii. -1'Iiat M-as uhy Iiis societ~r inade hiin a criiniiial: but. Tolsto!. added. Macbeth was a mundaiie criiiiinal siilce liis whole purpose was to participate in those ordinary tliings tliat

tiltiinately uiidid hiin. Tolstoy. of course. knew tliat tlic piay. like Shal\espeare's othcr works.

was everq.wliere liighly regarded. and on spccifically moral grounds: but iii liis eyes. Sliakespeare's prestige as a inoralist \\as dangerously periiicious: i t represented. Iie said. an

"epideiiiic" intluence wliicli poisoned readers' imaginations. iiot simpll- for uhat it asked tliein to admire. but for what it preveiited tliein Gom discovering. iiaiiiel~~. diffcrent litera?. images. and specificallj, Russiaii iinages of pouerful aiid truly independent spiriis (97- 104).

The essay on "Shakespearc and tlie Drania" was noi publislied uniil 1906. hut. as rolstog 'S letter to Iiis w i k suggests. his criticisms of Sliakespeare's dramas \vere de\,elopcd earlier i i i his career. The essal, itself recalls tliat those early vie\vs were a popular topic of

discussioil in Russian Iiterary circles (95). a circuinstaiice to u-liich Turgeiie\- seeins to allude iii an 1857 letter io Tolstoy (Turgenel- Lc / /e i : \ 1 : 13 1 ). l.esko\-'S litcrary career begaii iii 1860. and

as a iiicmber ol' Russiaii l iterar? circles he ina!. have becn mvare of Tol sto!'s earl! \ k v s . C'crtaiiily he was - b!- liis 01%-n accoiini - an earl!. aiid enthusias~ic adiiiiicis of Tolstvy (Laiitz 34). thougli \vIietlier or to ~vhat esteiit I'olsto!-'S ideas about Sliakespeare 11ia)- ha\-e iiitluciiced

í~'o(r</~>~.iio.\ </e /.ilologic~ I~rgI~~vi t . vol. 7.2. 2001. pp. 03- I O5

hiiii reiiiaii-is uiicertain. l.eskov i i e ~ c r c«iiiiiiented directly on the niatter. noi. did he spell out his «\vil ideas about Shakespeare. 'l'liere are. iievertlieless. iiiteresiing parallels bet\\eeii 'l'olstoy's criticisiiis of Shakespcarc aiid Leskoi 'S extended use of Sliakespeare's draina in "Lad! Macbetli

of Mtsensk". Iii 1,eskov's story. the lieroin «f.\lcrc.he/h is prcsciited tliiough tlie figure of Kateriiia

Lvoviia Iziiiailo\~a. "a inercliaiit's wife who once eiiacted a draina so a\vesnme tliat tlic iiicinbers

of our local geiitry. takiiig tlieir lead fioiii soiiieoiie's liglit-hearted remark. took to calliiig hei 'Lady Macbetli of Mtseiisk'.' (1.eskov 1 1 1 ). Tliougli tlic iiarrator does iiot sal7 so. tlie allusion

niay l i a ~ e seeiiied appropriaie because Sliakespcare's Lady Macbetli. persuadiiig lier hesitating

liusbaiid to coiiiiiiit a iii~irder he liad earlier proniised to pcrforin. espressed a ~~illii-igness to slaugliter Iiei invii cliildreii:

1 liave giveii suck. aiid knou Iiow tender 'tis to love tlie babe that iiiilks ine:

1 wo~ild. while it was siiiiling ii i 111). face.

Have plucL'd ni!- nipple froiii his boiieless guiiis.

Aiid dash'd tlie braiiis o~it. liad 1 so sworii As you liave doiie to tliis.

(1.7.54-59)

Iii Mtsensk. the rural sopliisticates iiiight also liave recalled tliat i t u-as Lady Macbeth's cruel plcdge that fiiially drove Macbeili 10 iii~irder tlic aged Duiicaii. a ciiine that would. in turn. lead

t« the iiiurder of a real cl-iild. Macduffs son (4.7). Certaiiily i t was iii tlie saiiie way that Kateriiia's first criine. thc straiigliiig of Iier old l'atlier-iii-law. Icd to tlie inurder of Katerii-ia's !7«uiig iiephew-. Fyodor. Moiiieiits before thai murder. slie would rccall her owii still uiiborii

cliild. stirring withiii Iier for tlic first time (Leskoi. 150). but like Lady Macbetli. she w-ould prove iiidiftereiit to its iiiiioceiice. for Iatcr. after giving birtli iii prisoii. slic u-ould utter a curse aiid

abandoii tlie babe "witho~~t ilie slightest inurinur of complaini" (1.eskov 157). i'lie parallels between tlir fjte of Kateriiia's son and tlie iiiiagiiied slauplitrr of Lady Macbeth's childreii. or

betweeii tlie inurders of Fyodor aiid youiig Macdufí'. iherehie create a desigii poiiitiiig to aii

iiiiportant siinilarity bctbeeii Kateriiia aiid Lady Macbeth: both are dariiig actors res+ to re.ject weakiiess. a quality espccially associaied witli cliildreii. Macbrtli. oii tlie otlier liaiid. understood that tlie inurdcr cif a lielpless cliild would

plead like aiigels. truiiipet tongu'd. agaiiist

Tlie deep daiiiiiaiioii of liis takiiig-oí? Aiid I'ity. like a naked new-borii babc. Stridiiig tlie blasi. or heaveii's C'herubiiis. Iiors'd

Ilpoii tlie siglitless co~iriers ol'tlie air.

SlialI blou tlie liorrid deed ii i c1ei.J eye.

1 hat iears shall d r o ~ i i tlie uiiid4. ( 1.7.19-33)

'J'his. of course. is prccisel! u-liar happens. noi onl!. ii-i Shakespcare's stoq- biit in L c s k o ~ ' ~ : tlic

children. iii thcir piiifiil deaths. becoine pou-erfiil avcnpers - giani ai-igcls dri\.ing an indolent or. ii-i Macbeih's case. an iniimidated conin-iui-iit! io finall!. oppose ihe miirderers.

To tliis extent. siinilarities seem to run throii~li ilie t n o siorics: bui ihcre are striking diffcrei-ices as well. For instante. tliough both women are dri\en to tl-ieir crimes by passio~i. their

passions are altogether iinlike. Lady Macbetli is mo\'cd by amhitioii ibr a roya1 place ii-i tlie Ikiidal world ofuhich she and her husbai-id are a part. Katcrii-ia. o11 thc otl-ier Iiand. is aroused by lier devotion to Sergei Filipych. a man n110 promises to dcliler Iier oiit ot'"the ~iiirelic\,ed

n-ionoion!. of lile iii tlie ~iierchant's barred ai-id bolted t o w r of a Iiousc" ( 1 13). and inio anotl-ier l\-orld associzited \vi111 lo\ze and freedom. Thoiigh thcse tuiiiiicd theii-ies of escape tioin dreai-y saiiiciiess and flight to a dillkrent world ofroinai-itic natiire are glanced at ii-i Shakespeare. tl-ie!.

dominatc Lcsko\ 'S story fioin tlie niomei-it Sergei invades the locked merchant's hoiise ai-id. agaii-isi liaterina's neak protests. picks hcr up "like a cl-iild 2nd carrics her off to a bedroom

( 130). li-i Iier siiirender ihere is n ineasure ot'comhrtable sell~ii-idiilgei-ice. biii out of thai sii-iiplc espericnce tl-iere is born soi-i-ietliing of a ver? differei-it iiatiire: a passion tliat crases the codes ai-id con\ entions of Iier tormer u-orld - ihe world of mcrchai-it properiies und i-i-iunda~ie an-ibitioi-is. Yet

passion also erases Katerina's ability to disting~iish between good and cvil. or joy ai-id sorrou-. This Iailiirc the i-iairator traces io tlie tieedoin Katerina once eii.joyed as the child of aii impo\ erished tamily ( 1 13). a freedom that encoiiraged her loi-iging for ai-i event that woiild alter

tlie stor!. of her lifc. ai-id elevate it ii-iio soineihing better and more iiieaiiii-igtiil. Whei-i at last she meets that possibilit! in tlic foi1i-i oV love. slie abai-idons herself to it. and u-illingI!- plaqs

\\hatever role Iier ne\v ai-id diffcrent drama seems to demand. ?'here is an illusiration of this behavioiir in the early stages of Katerina's affair u-ith

Sergei. Mer hiisband is auay attcnding to biisii-iess. but uhen Kateiina's father-ii-i-lah. Boris

l'iinotkich. disco\,ers the lo\.ers and locks Sergei iip in a sioreroom Katerina is enraged: "Let him out ol'there." she deniai-ids. "1 slvear to yoii o11 m! coi-iscieiicc thai nothing bad has passcd betu7eei-i lis" ( 177). 111 ieferrii-ig to her clear coi-iscience. Katerina ina!,. i i i her own nlii-id. be

tellinp tl-ie truil-i. siatii-ig simply tliat she waiits Sergei. is proudl! ~inashamed of her desire. and

is prcpared to play out its consecliiences. l'liis. at least. is licr attitiide as she prepares Sor thc rcturii oflicr husband. Zino\.! Borisycli. Slie is determined not to be tlic witk she \\-as: shc will

be her altered selt: and detiai-itl!- re\-ea1 the oiitline of a new and different life. At this point. u-e should note. miirderiiig her Iiiisband is not a necessai? part of her fresli role. That is tlie in\:ei-ition

of Sergei. l\-lio suggesis that Zii-io\.!. Ieft alive. must inevitably desti.o!- tlie lo\-ers' world. "No. no. d011.t sa) siich thiiigs." Katerin~i plcads: "1 tcll you it iusi lvon't Iiappen - 1 \\'on't be left \vitlioui yoii .... If it e \er coines to that ... either he will dic. oi. I will: biii yoii are goilig to stay

~ ' 1 1 1 1 ~ 1 ' ~ 1 ~ 1 1 0 \ (le 1 ; 1 0 1 0 , y ; 1 1 1 1 1 ~ I ' ~ ~ l l . \d. 7.2. 200 l . pp. 9.3- 105

~ i t h ine" ( 13 1 ). This estravagant speecli is a \\-liole systeiii of unconscious propliecies. but wliat

Kateriiia waiits to empliasize is Iier coniiiiitmeiit to her lover and to love itself: notliiiig. slie

insists. inust stand iii its wa!.. Mistakenly. slie supposes that Sergei's iiiteiitions are like her o&-11.

aiid tliat his stoi?. resenibles tl-ie ne\\- one slie Iias choseii. I i i fact. Iie is creating aii altogether

diffcreiit drama - a drama ui ih a trul!. Shakespearean tlienie because Sergei's eoiiduci is

gol erned b), the pursuit of u-ealth and a betiei statioii iii the world - the veiy thiiigs tliat Kaierina

is prepared io abandoii.

Events in Leskol 'S iiarraiive tliiis iiiiderline a contest betweeii [&-o piinciples ii-i \\I-iicl-i

tlie iiidepeiideiice of Kateriiia's imagiiied lo\-e stoiy struggles against tlie seductive intluei-ice 01'

Sergei's n-iundaiie ainbitioiis. This becoines particularly appareiii in ilie descriptioi-i ol'the third

n-iurder.Follo\\irip %iiiol!, Rorisych's murder. young Fyodor a r r i ~ e s to claiiii a share of tlie

esiaie.Seipei. leariiiiig this. becoi-i-ies depressed. aiid Katerii-ia conlksses iliat she caiiiiot

~inderstand his behal~iour. "All our plans l-iave coine to i-iothing." Sergei explains. "But why do

! oii say t'hat'?" shc asks. still supposing that their cr ines have beei-i l'or love. --Because." he

replies. "ihe \\hole place will he divided up now. And \\I-iat'll be thc poii-it of owi-iii-ig apalti3- bit

of'it?" Still not coi-i-iprehendii-ig. she protests. "surel! ~ o u ' l l get your fair share?" ( 136). Sergei.

ol'course. does not f ia i i t a share: he ~tai-its everytl-iing. ai-id so he '.went o11 arid 011" ahout F ~ o d o r .

proinising thai if the child wcre got rid oii. '-ihere \voiild be no limits to tl-ieir happii-iess" ( 1 36).

Inevitablj. the child is niurdered. tl-iough - as ii i Al l r~ ,h~>/h - the h o i ~ i d deed is hloui-i "in ever!

e)e" (1.7.34: el.. I.esbo\- 155). and tlie lovers are sooii arrestcd for their criiiie. Accused. Sergei

cluickl!. conlesses ai-id iinplicatcs Katerina. It is at this poiiit tliat tlie iiivestigators ask Katei-iria

whj- she coininitted the murders. "Without ai-iger." and ~ i t h niore tnith thaii she uiidcrstands. she

sa! s. '-1 did it ti)r l-iiin" ( I56j. This siinple statemciit uriderlii-ies wliat the \\liole story empl-iasizes:

that the ai-i-ibition M l-iicli iiio\.ed Lady Macheth is part of Sergei's ~vorld. ai-id does i-iot belong to

Katerina.

The ii-iiportai-ice of this diffcrerice is ui-iderliiied in Leskov's treatment of consciei-ice. a

subject ceiitral to Shakespeare's pla!.. It is consciei-ice. of course. that deslroys Lady Macheth:

following the powerful part slie pla'ed ii-i the iiiitial murdcrs. she wai-iders sleeplessly tl-irougl-i

tlie i-iight. ai-ixiously tryiiig to \vas11 the giiilt ol' hloody ambitioii froiii tier Iiaiids. arid fii-ially

ending her iorineiit h!, hurlirig 1-ierseliifroi-i-i the castlc walls. T1-irougl-i inost ol'l.esbov's narrative

there is no couiiterpart to this mental anguisl-i in Katerina. It is tixie that after tlie first iiiurder she

Iias a disturhiiig dreai-ii about a cat that takes on tlie h c e and voice ol'her dead iiather-in-law -

a nighti-i-iare tTom whicli sl-ie awakes screaiiiing: and there is another and earlier dreain. also

ahout a cat wl-iich. in tliis iiistance. is associated wilh Serpci. But the earlier dreai-ii. Lesko\

emphasizes. inei.el1 piizzles Kateriiia: aiid c\.eii atier it has heeii liiikcd to tlic fearful in-iage of

her iuurdercd tatl-icr-in-la\\. her coiisciciicc is iii-itrouhled. Sergei's situatioii is altogether

different. apparei-itl~ becausc. heinp guilty oiambitiori. I-ie canriot he consciei-ice-l'ree. Follo\\.iiig

ihe murder ofZino\,! Boris~ch. his lips trcmhlc "and the resi ol'l-iim mas shaking as i fui t l i LI

lkler" (142). Then. follol+ii-ig tl-ie inurder of Fyodor. he sl-iivers and rui-is away ii-i lkar ( 152).

Fiiiall!. atier tlie two llave been ai-rested. "\vhci-i Sergei was led befc~re tlie corpse. tlie ver!; tirst

\v«rds oí'tlie priest about tlie l.ast Judgeiiieiit and tlie piiiiisl-iineiit of the iiiircpentant wcre eiioiigli to make him biirst iiito iears" ( 1 56). lt is tlierefore Scrgei. not Kateriria. \\-lio deii-icliistrates tlie torniented weakness that is a central to Shakespeare's pieseiitation oi'Lad) Machetli.

-l'Iiis difkrencc is also retlected i i i Lesko\.'s treatment of a thenie related to conscience. iiainel!~. tlie lau- OS consequeiice. AII awareness 01' conscience and a knoa-ledge o i tlie la11 of

coi-isequence are elosel! linked in Shakespeare's pla>. hut tlie!, are iiot tlie saine. Unlike Lad). Macbetli - and iiiilike Kateriiia - Machetli has '.,judgenieiit": tliat is. he knows tl-ie 5toi.y he initiaies niay he iiilliienced aiid tinally controlled b!, forces other tliaii liis own. '.It'it were done.

\vlieii 'iis done." he agoiiizes.

ihen ' tuer well

Ii uere done qiiickly: if'th' assassiilation C'ould tianiniel ~ i p the c»iisequences. and catcli Witli his simease succcss: tliat hut this blou-

Miglit he tlie he-al1 aiid tlie end-al1 Iiere. But liere. iipoii this haiik and slioal of tiiiie.

We'd jiimp tlie life to coiile. But in tliese cases. W'e still lia\:e ,jiidgeinent herc: that we hut teacli Bloody instructioiis. wliicli. beiiig taiight. rcturn

To plague th' inventor. (1.7.1-10)

111 this passage. Macbetli identities tlie law of consequence that uill "rctiii.n/ To plague th'

inventor": it is that "hlood will lia\?e blood" (3.4.17 1 ). As cveiits graduall!. inake this clear. he

bccoines increasingl>- aiid tlierefore recklessly - fatalistic. "1 ani in bloodl Stcpp'd in so far." Iie says. --tliat. sliould 1 u~ade no inore.1 Retuming \vere as tedioiis as go o'er" (3.4.1 35-1 37). Tlie inan \vho i.eqiiircd his wife's support in l-iis tirst iiiurder. ulien he \vas "still yoiing in dccd"

(3.4.1 43). tlierefore plans a secolid criine alone. aiid tlieii. like oi-ie u110 has "almost forpot tlie taste of fcars" (5.5.9). gives hiiiiself ovei to casual sla~ighter. Hut whai of Lady Machetli? Because she \\-as hliiid to tlie intluence oi'otlier pon-e1.s aiid to the ine\.itability ot'consecl~ience.

she u a s iiiitially stroiig: biit when tbrced to witness the uiifolding of eveiits. slie decliiies iiito fear. Fier niad rainbliiigs disclose oiily a little of lier torment (5. l.!. hut Macbctli's meditations illiirninate tlie character of a iilind like liers. ohliged to cont'ront tlie conscquences of its criiiiiiial

acts. Bitterly. Iie recognizes that he is capti\:e to somethirig he did iiot iiitend: "Tliey havc tied ine to a stake: 1 caiiiiot Hy.1 Biit. bear-like. I iiiust tiglii tlie coiirse" (5.7.1-3). Later. ii is tliis

kiio\+-ledge that Icads hirn io retlect nostalpically upon the lit'e liis aci has lost. the sior!. he has

abandoned:

( iiu~l~~i.17<1\ <le I . i k ) l o ~ i r ~ li~gle\cr. ' 0 1 . 7.2. 100 1. pp. 93- 105

I.i~ih. \lu~~hc.ih oí' lIirei7rh \ L I I I I ' ~ I I L > M L I I ~ L I I ) I / / L ~ I . ~ I ~ c ~ i17 \ i eo l~~ i I.e~hoi. 101

1 Iia\.e li\.'d Ioiig cii«ugIi: iiiy %a!. of life

1s fall'ii iiito tlie scrc. the yellom leat-

Aiid u-liat sliould accoiilpail!- old age.

As Iioilour. love. obedieiice. troops of frielids.

1 i~iust iiot look to I ~ a \ ~ e . (5.3.77-76)

Fiiially. percei\-iilg iii liis wife's suicide aii iiiiage vt' his oui i eiid. he gives \\-ay to aiiger aiid

rescntiiiciit:

Slie slio~iid llave died liereafter.

Tliere \ \o~i ld have been a tiiiic for sucli a word -

1 uiiioi~ow. and tomorrciw . arid toriiorro\\-.

C'reeps iii tliis petty pace kom day to da!.

T'o tlie last syllable ofrecorded time: Aiid al1 our yesterdays llave liglited fbols

Tlie ua!. to dusty death. Out. out. biiel'candle!

I>ifc's but a walkiiig sliadow : a poor plo!.er.

'T'hat struts aiid frets his hour Lipon tlie stage.

Aiid tlieii is heard no more: i t is a tale

lo ld b! an idiot. f~ill of so~iiid aild fiii?.

Sigiiif).iiig notliing. (5.3.15-78)

Sliakespeare'h drama is doininaied by tliis rich raiige of eiilotions: tbreb»dinp prior to tlie

iliurder. recklrss coiiiinitiiieilt to thr criiiie. fearfiil recogiiitioii of uniiitendcd conscqueiices.

nostalgic regret fbr tlie road iiot takeii. and the filial seilse ofsuicidal tiir';. Tlie same feeliiigh are

present i i i "Lad!- Macbetli of'Mtsensk". thouglit tliey are introduced ii i a ver!. diffcrent fasliioii.

C'oiisider. for iilstaiice. 1,eskov's preseiitation of the lo\~ers' meeting j~is i after Kateriiia'h first

dreaiii. aiid before Iicr husband's retlini. 'Tlie setting is aii orcliard. aiid L.esko\ 's descriptioii of

tlie place is charged witli tlie geiitle imagen of aii idyll in \\-liicli everytliiiig seeins suspended

iil a iiiood ofquiet repose. \vatclied over b!. the nioon's obseil-iiig eye:

"Lool\ Serpei - isii'l tliis siiiir>l!- Iieaveiily?" Kateriiia 1.~01-iia esclaimed. Iookiiig

~ i p tlirough tlie apple tree's tliickly blossoiiled braiiclies wliicli covered Iier. ai tlie

cloudless dark-blue sky- iil wliich a briglit. fiill mooii was sliiniiig. (Lrsko1 178)

Ol'co~irse tlie sk>- does not iiiterest Sergei. aild tlie narratvr reiiiinds us tliat "he sat ... stariiig Iiard

at liis boots". Iiiiiting tliat Katerina niust i~i~irder lier Iiusband. Uliat follows is a dist~irbiiig

escliaiige in wliicli Kateriiia. \\-itlioiii reflcciiiig aiid witlioiii c l~i i~e kiiowiiig uliat is liappeiiiiip.

surreiiders to Iiei. lover's iiitlueiice. .4fter that "tlieii kissiiig aiid caressing rcsuiiied". thoiigli

uiiderneatli tlie coiitiiiuit> everytliiiig is differeiit. 'l'hr idyll has passcd. tlie cat of Kateriiia's dream intrudes oiice again. and tlie obse i~ inp iiiooii lo\?;eis its e!-c. Kateriiia still "splashed iii

tiie mooiilight". tlioiigh as she did so

the fiesh. whiic blossoins kept hlling. falliiig from tlic lea.- apple tree. and tlieii at last stoppcd t'alling. Aiid ineaiiuhile the briet'siimincr iiight Iiad passed. tlie inooii coiicealcd itsel fheliiiid tlie rouiided roofs ol'tlie tal1 granarics aiid gave the

eai-th a sidelong looh. gr«a.iiig paler aiid palcr: then spi ttiiip u a s heard. tbllo\vcd by aiigi?; hissing. aiid t uo or three toin-cats tkll iioisil!. scrabbliiig ot'f' ihe roof dowii a pile ofplaiiks. ( 1 3 2 )

Tlie ricli iiilagci? of this passage - charücteristic 01' I.esko\~'s art -- Iias inaiiy couiiterpaits in Shakespeüre's work. but because i\fuche/h is a draina. the ricliiiess arises out of thc cliaracters'

own laiigiiagc: it is their ineditations that rctlrct tlie troublcd complesit!- ol'thc uorld iii M-liich tliey are casi. Lesko~,. o11 the otlier hand. oiily sketclles Sergei's miiid aiid lea\ es Kriteriiia's quite

uiitouched. as tliougli it were altogethcr tiee ot'coinplesity. It is thereti,ie Icli to tlie iiarraior to meditate upoii the action. and this he does b!. surroiiridiiig the lo\-ers \\ i t l i ini~igcs aiid s!.mb«ls ihat ansiouslq- anticipate tlie direction of theii. lives.

There is. lio\\ever. oiic part of tlie story in \vhicli this is iioi triic. oiic 1,ai.t in which Leskor inoves towaid a Shakespeareaii repieseiitatioii 'of char~icici.\ \ \ itli coiiiplc\ i~ie~itül jvocesses. Follo\vi~ig their airest. Katerina aiid Sergei are triccl. c i i i ~ l ~ i i i iiiio pciicil se17 itude.

i1' Kateriiia liad. in aiiy u-a?;. beeii attached to the in~indane \.al~ic> ol'ili~, iiici.cli:iiii \\orld. or if her roiiiaiitic decisiori to abandoii tliem liad been sliglit or füiicil'~il. Iici- ~~.iiic.iicc. iiiiglit lia\,e Ied

toward some ariagnorasis: hiit that is iiot \kliat Iiappeiis. 111 Iact Iicr ~~~iiii~liiiiciii oiil! clürities the priiiciples upon mliicli slie Iiad acted earlier in the narrati\ c:

As she sets oiit o11 tlie dark aiid diflicult passagc i i i Silici.i'i. ilicrc \\as tbr her neither light nor dark. noi good iior bad. nor io! iior \oi-i.o\\: >lic percei\.ed

nothing. and loved no oiic. iiot eveii Iiersell: Slic l i \ c~ l oiil! iii ilic impatieiit

rrl7ectaiicy «f the ilioineiit uheii tlie group nould 5c.i oiii oii ihc. ro~id. \\ here slie hoped she iniglit meet her Sergei apaiii. ( 1 58)

170r Sergei. o11 the otlier Iiand. the diftkreiit rrorld to whicli he hiis bccii sciitc.iiccd chaiiges eiei~.tliing. aiid he ad,justs briskly aiid brutall). Hecause Katerinü c:in iio 1c)iigcr promise lhiiii a

better station iii life. he is iiiiwilliiig t« play Iiis old part in lier stor! ol'lo\.e: ").o~i'i.c iiot tlie witk ofaii iniportaiit inerclianl aiiy more. so do me a ta\.«ur and doii'i go giviiip yourscll'¿iirs" (163).

Kateriiia's disco\.er)- of the real character of Sergei's stur! uiifolds thruugli lier paiiif~il

rclationsl-iip witl-i t \ \o \\oinen. boil-i atiacl-ied to Sergei's new litk. Thc tirsi is Fiona. nl-iose

"gei-itle. laz! disposition" persuades her to surrci-iders io Sergei out « f a comfortable desire for

lo\.e ( 160): tl-ie second. n h o cl~iickly displaces Fiona. is Sonetka. \+I-i«. ii-i spite of her se\ ei-iteei-i

! ears. is a con-iplcs indi\.idual cruelly proud of a ne\\ and passioi-iate attacl-iinent that wiII ii-i+.ol\,e

"s~ift'eriilg and sacriticc" ( 160). I'ogetl-ier. tl-iese t \ \ « noinen reflect tl-ie range ofKateri1-i - a s ow11

charactcr. ai-id u1-iei-i tl-iey assuii-ie their place 1vit1-i Scrgei. sl-ie comes. for tlic tirst time. to

recognize the outline of I-ier own lifc. and tlie dark ii-itluence Sergei has esercised upon it.

LV11ei-i Fioi-ia takes I-ier place in Scrgei's bed. Katerii-ia. decpl! stung. iells I-ierselt': "'1

don't real l~. love hiin ai-i~waq' ...l. et sl-ie tklt tliat slie loved I-iii-ii even more ardentlq- than berore"

( 167). Later. Fioiia is. i1-i turn. r~jecied. aiid she and Katerii-ia are recoiiciled. But wl-ien Katerii-ia

trics to recover Sergei's affcctions. l-ie I-ieaps abuse o11 Iicr. and ineets o ~ i t fifty lashcs as sl-ie lays

I-ielpless in l-icr bed ( 167). Thoug1-i a i-i-iere parod' of' Iier criinii-ial seritence. Sergei's cruelt!- is

Katerina's first real p~inisl-ii-i-iei-ii. ai-id the iiiitial stage of her grouth to ~inderstanding. When it

is ovcr. sl-ie collapses o11 Fiona's breast uhere slie "sobbed O L I ~ I-ier iritolerable grief and. like a

child t o a inotlier. pressed herselfclosc to I-ier slou and t'eckless rival. Now they nere eclual: tl-ie~

liad both bee1-i cl-ieapened. and botli liad been discardcd" ( 1 67).

It is Sonetka u h o compo~~nds Katerii-ia's sutlkririg bq proudll- allyirig herself witli Sergei

wl-iile I-ie n-iocks the roinantic delusions of "madain inerchant". as Ile insists o11 callii-ig I-ier. -1'he

otliers prisoners. heariiip Sergei's taunts. are sliocked:

"You ouglit to be asl-iained ot'!~o~irsell'." said Fioi-ia sl-iakii-ig l-ier head. "It docs y o ~ i

no credit." said a coi-ivict named Ciordyuslika. iii support ...." Eveii if you've no

coriscience in froi-it of Iier. you ought to have soine ii-i front uf tlie rest of LIS."

(170)

Wliat lher fellou prisoners do not recognize is that in al1 this Laterina is tlie victim of sometl-ii~~g

sl-ie herself had been - a canscience-free lover. indifferent to rnoral coi-iventioris.

Tlie Ii~in-iiliatii-ig reversal inl-ier position is as cr~icl and cold as tl-ie crossii-ig of tl-ie Vvlga

wl-iich ser+es as its background. The esperience forces Kateriiia to look inu-ard. at the n-ieaning

of her st01-y: gazing at the river's wa\es. shc silei-itlq moved her lips. apparentl! reliearsing

something to herself. Then. wl-iile Sergei contin~ied his "foul-niouthed tirade".

she see~iied to hear a groanii-ig. rumblii-ig sound that carne froi-i-i tl-ie heavirig.

crasliiiig breakers. Arid ... suddenly. in one of the breaking uaI1es sl-ie fancied she

san the blue. swollen head «f. Anris Ti~iiofeich. and in another tlie slva! ii-ig form

of Iier husband. peepii-ig out at her and eiiibracii-ig Fedya's hanging I-iead. Katerina

L\,ovna tried to reineinbcr a pra!.er. and slie m«\ied her lips. but al1 Iier lips could

uhispcr n e r r the words: " h o ~ n e ~ised to ~'i-i.j«~ ourselves. liow v e ~ised io sit

iogetlier o11 tl-iose lung auiun1i-i iiights. ho~v we dispaiched yo~ir kinfolk to a cruel

( ' r i i ~~ l~ . r i i o r 1 ~lolr>giil Ii7,vlc.r~i. vol. 7.2. 200 1 . pp. 93- 1 05

104 11 ~ ~ / ~ I / ~ ~ I / L / \ / 1 O I I U ~

deatli in broad da! light ...." ( 1 71 )

.l'he imagiiied \voids are Sergei's. anci the! mock iiot onl! those wlio ha\-e been murdered. but wliai ii \vas tliat Ied Kateriiia to becoiiie their iii~irdcrer. lt was Iier lovc for "a \.illaiii" ( 1 67). '-a \-¡le snake"( 169). a maii iiioti\,üted b!. tlic iiiost ordiiinnr kiiid of limbitioii - a m~iiidaiic criniiiial.

Hecausc slie liad purs~ied lo\ e aiid passioii ~vitliout rcflccting o11 the destnicti\-e nüture 01'

Sergei's iiifluence. Kateriiia. like Fiona. liad bcconie a pitif~il \.ictiin: but for p ~ ~ r s ~ ~ i i i g that passioii - íbr pl;iying Fioiiü's role. aiid for perfiirmiiig tlie proud part no\v ücted h!. Soiietkki - Kateriiiü reser\-ed a spccial loathiiig:

Katei-iiia 12voviiü slii\ered. Hcr inieriiiittent gaze focused itsclf. and becüiiic u-ild. Oiice. twice Iier ürnis stietclied o ~ i t towards sonie ~iiikiio\v~i poiiit iii space ünd le11 back :igain. Aiiotliei iuin~ite passed - aiid suddeiily slie begaii to rock aiid s\\~i!, and. \~itliout taking Iier e!.cs off'the dark wa\-es. she beiit down. seized hold of Soiietka b!- the lcgs and iii onc siiigle ino\-ernent li~irled lierself witli Iier over the

sidc of tlie Ikrn-. ( 17 1 )

Iii Katerinci L\~oviia's coiiscience-strickeii iiieditatioii o11 her actions. she and Lady Macbctli coiiie to reseniblc oiie another elosel!.. h i t in their s~iicides tlie!. seem. at last. to be tlie sanic.

Though tlic colirse of Katerina's life and deatli discovers tisciiiatiiig parallels uith the

historj- 01' Sliakespeare's iiotorious heroiiie. i t is clear that Leskm. also so~ight to del-elop

diffc.rcnccs between the tnci characters. In fact. i t M.-as tlirough tlie iiiixturc ol'tlieir samenesses and diflkreiices thai he reflectcd soiiietliiiig cliaracteristic of niiieteeiith centuil- Kussiüii rcspoiises to Shakespearc. iiaiiiel!~. a will to debate tlic nature und nieaning ol' tlic Englisli drainatist's jvork: b~i t bcyond that general characteristic. tlie specific directioii ol'l.esko\ 'S story

seeiiis t« all!- liini with oiie Russiaii response iii particular: thüt ofLeo 7'olsto';. Much later iii Iiis carcer. L.esko\. n-rote to Tolsto! aiid reiiiaiked o11 tlie striking siiiiilarity hetu-ceil their ideas about literat~irc. etliics. aiid Russian socicty (Lantz. 3 5 ) . Principal aiiioiig tliose ideas. Leskol-

\voiild have kiiowii. n-as 'rolstoy's regard for love as -the supreine lau" aiid tlie "one rneaiis oí' sal\atioii" because i t fosiered Iieroic courage of tlie kind discoverable in Kateriiia's tirst. passionaic respolise to Sergei: coLirage to iiitroduce the sort of "spontaneity and fieedoiii"

(Tolsto!. Ltrii c fLoi 'c 75-76: Sl7~1ke.spe~(1.e 88) tliat miglit fiiially libeiatc a -'barred and boltcd" society (Leskm 1 17). l.esko\.. 01'co~irse. careiiill!. elaborrited tlie flaws that u-arp tliis tlioroughly Kussiaii stoi?. of lo\-e. and tliese flau-s he traced to Sergei: and tlie crimiiial iiat~ire of Sergei's

influence is dircctly related to Iiis inundaiie anibition~. I.eskov tlierefore seeiiied to coiistruct Iiis

stoi? around tuo features oí- Tolstoy's response to Shakespeare: tlic u-orldll; aiiibitioiis tliat ~iiiderlie Scrgei's inuiid;i~ie criiniiinlity all!. him witli thc Macbetli that Tolsto! liad criticiscd: and

Küteriiia. fitted to tlic fjte of Lad!. Mücbetli. concedes tlie -'epideiiiic" influeiicc oí'

Shakespeareaii ideas tliat Tolsto\. apprelieiisivel!- resisted.

( ' I I ~ I ~ / L ' ~ . I ~ o ! [/L. 1 i l o l o g i c ~ l ~?g /c~o . vol. 7 .2 . 200 1 . pp. 93- 105

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