Resurrection

Maslova was born to a poor, unmarried peasant woman. She was saved from neglect by two maiden ladies who partially raised her. Treated half as a servant and half as a young lady, she grew up sheltered but without a clear place in society. At 16, she fell in love with her benefactors’ nephew, a young prince—Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Nekhlyudov, who later seduced and abandoned her, leaving her pregnant.

After losing her child and her job, Maslova struggled to find work and was repeatedly exploited and assaulted by male employers. Eventually, she became involved in sex work after being lured by a “procuress.” Maslova lived in brothels for seven years, enduring a cycle of degradation, until she committed the crime for which she is now imprisoned and awaiting trial.

While Maslova is escorted to court, Nekhlyudov leisurely prepares for his day. After dressing and eating breakfast, he receives a letter from Princess Korchagina reminding him of his duty to serve as a juror that day. Nekhlyudov reflects on the Princess’s attempts to maneuver him into marriage and recalls his entanglement with a married woman, which prevents him from proposing to the princess.

Among his mail, Nekhlyudov also receives a letter from his estate steward, reminding him to address the management of his inherited land. The letter makes him uncomfortable, as it reminds him of his earlier convictions against private land ownership, which he has since abandoned.

Nekhlyudov finds his jury summons and writes a brief reply to Princess Korchagina, declining to visit before court. As he leaves his home, he reflects again on the idea of marrying her, weighing the comforts of marriage against the loss of freedom. He considers her social status and admiration of him as a positive but is unsettled by her age and the possibility she had already loved someone else. He postpones deciding, focusing on his duty as a juror.

At the courthouse, Nekhlyudov finds the criminal court and meets fellow jurors, including a “jolly merchant” named Baklashov and a former tutor he dislikes, Pyotyr Gerasimovich.

The jurors, a mix of social classes, talk about the weather, business, and the inconvenience of jury duty. Nekhlyudov reflects on his unearned sense of superiority and feels irritated by Gerasimovich’s familiarity.

He joins a group listening to a man boast about a civil trial. Although he arrived late, Nekhlyudov must wait, as the proceedings are delayed due to a missing member of court.

The president of the court, eager to finish early for personal reasons, prepares for the session while other court officials arrive. The prosecutor, Brevé, agrees to start with the poisoning case despite being unprepared after a night of drinking. The secretary, who dislikes Brevé, supports this choice.

In the building, the civil trial previously discussed concludes with a wealthy businessman winning a case through legal manipulation, causing a woman to lose her property. Crowds gather in the corridors as court proceedings continue.

The jurors are called and led into the courtroom. The members of the court—the president, a “gloomy” judge, and Matvei Nikitich—take their places on the platform. The court officials prepare, with the public prosecutor reviewing the poisoning case, hoping to secure a conviction, while the secretary discreetly reads a prohibited article he intends to discuss with a sympathetic judge.

The prisoners, including Maslova, are brought into the courtroom under guard. The jury is formally assembled, and the priest administers the oath with ceremonial instructions. Afterward, the jury selects a foreman and returns to the courtroom.

The president of the court delivers a speech explaining the jurors’ rights, duties, and responsibilities, emphasizing the solemnity and importance of the proceedings.

The president questions the three prisoners: Simon Kartinkin, Yevfimia Bochkova, and Maslova. When Maslova’s name is recorded as “Lyubov,” a correction reveals her real name is Katerina Mikhailovna Maslova. Nekhlyudov recognizes her as the girl he once seduced and abandoned, feeling a rush of guilt and disbelief—“‘No, it cannot be,’ said Nekhlyudov to himself; and yet he was now certain that this was she” (45).

The court continues with the formal reading of the indictment, while Maslova sits quietly but shows signs of distress, and Nekhlyudov struggles with emotional turmoil as he watches her.

The secretary reads the indictment against Kartinkin, Bochkova, and Maslova. They are accused of stealing money and a diamond ring from the merchant Smelkov and of poisoning him to conceal the theft.

Maslova’s defense claims she acted under Kartinkin’s influence, believing the powder she gave Smelkov was harmless. Kartinkin and Bochkova shift blame onto Maslova, despite suspicious actions like Bochkova depositing a large sum in the bank. Nekhlyudov is horrified at Maslova’s situation.

The president questions the three prisoners. Kartinkin and Bochkova deny guilt and blame Maslova. Maslova denies stealing any money but admits to giving Smelkov a powder she believed was harmless, explaining she only wanted him to fall asleep so she could leave. She recounts how Smelkov had given her the ring after assaulting her, and she admits she entered a hotel room with Kartinkin after leaving Smelkov.

After her testimony, the court adjourns for a short break, and Nekhlyudov withdraws to the jurymen’s room, deeply troubled.

Nekhlyudov recalls his early relationship with Maslova, then known as Katyusha. As a university student spending the summer with his aunts, Nekhlyudov lived an idealistic life, working on an essay about land reform.

During this time, a game during a holiday gathering brought him and Maslova closer, leading to an innocent kiss that awakened deeper feelings between them. Their relationship grew tender but remained platonic.

Nekhlyudov’s aunts became concerned, fearing either an illicit relationship or a socially inappropriate marriage, but said nothing. When Nekhlyudov departed, he felt sorrow at leaving Maslova, sensing he was losing something “precious,” though he was not fully aware of the depth of his feelings.

Nekhlyudov recalls how he had changed during the three-year gap between visits to his aunts. Once an idealistic, selfless young man, he had become a selfish and pleasure-seeking officer, molded by aristocratic society, military life, and the approval of others. He abandoned his spiritual convictions, succumbing to the pressures and temptations of wealth, idleness, and indulgence. Entering the army deepened his corruption, allowing him to justify reckless behavior. It was in this degraded state that Nekhlyudov returned to visit his aunts.

Nekhlyudov remembers his second visit to his aunts on his way to join his regiment. He found Maslova still living with them. Though his intentions were unclear even to himself, seeing her again revived his former feelings. Their interactions awakened both a quiet joy and a struggle between his spiritual consciousness and his selfish desires.

Despite knowing he should leave, Nekhlyudov extended his stay through Easter. On Easter Eve, after attending a church service with the household, he impulsively decided to ride to the midnight service, unable to shake his growing inner conflict.

Nekhlyudov continues his reflection on Easter night. He attended the church service, where he found Katyusha in a white dress. They exchanged a brief whispered conversation and later greeted each other with the traditional Easter kiss. For Nekhlyudov, this moment was a pure expression of love—chaste, joyful, and full of shared spiritual connection. Reflecting on it later, he wishes that their story had ended there, before it turned tragic.

After waking from a nap after Easter service, Nekhlyudov ate with Maslova. When she turned to leave, he chased after her and kissed her, despite her protest. Struggling with his emotions, he obsessed over her for the rest of the day.

That evening, he cornered her again while she prepared a room for the doctor, who had been invited to spend the night. Despite her resistance and a warning that Matryona Pavlovna was coming, he made advances, touching her and forcing her to sit on the bed before Matryona Pavlovna came to the room.

Although he felt some shame, he continued planning how to be alone with Maslova. Maslova, distressed and confused, tried to avoid him.

That night, Nekhlyudov gave into his desire. He watched Maslova through the window, then beckoned her outside. Though she initially resisted, she responded to him, emotionally torn but yielding.

Later, while everyone slept, Nekhlyudov snuck into her room. When she opened the door, he carried her to his own room. They spent the night together, and Maslova left without speaking. Nekhlyudov wondered if what he had done was “a great joy or a great misfortune” (85). He rationalized the event, telling himself “everybody does it” (85), and went to sleep.

The next day, Nekhlyudov’s friend Shenbok arrived, charming Nekhlyudov’s aunts with his generous and flamboyant behavior. Unbeknownst to them, Shenbok was deeply in debt and careless with money. He and Nekhlyudov left together that evening, as their military leave had ended.

Before leaving, Nekhlyudov gave Maslova a hundred-ruble note—not out of concern for her, but to fulfill what he believed was expected of a man in his position. She tried to reject the money, but he forced it on her and ran away in shame.

Unable to reconcile his actions with his self-image, Nekhlyudov suppressed his conscience, convincing himself he behaved no worse than other men. He eventually forgot about Maslova—until the present court brings it all rushing back. Now, he fears public exposure more than moral reckoning.