To what extent does “The Queen of Spades” illustrate the differences between rich and poor in Russia at the time?

What is the symbolic meaning of the cards?

Does Lizaveta have any regrets about her actions? If so, how does she address these regrets?

To what extent do Nuramov’s wealth and social status insulate him from the kind of mistakes made by Hermann?

After Hermann loses the final game of cards, the game begins again. How does this endless cycle of gambling function as a metaphor for life?

When the countess returns as a ghost, she claims to be working on the orders of a higher power. How does her appearance as a supernatural force suggest the existence of a higher moral power?

After Hermann hears about the countess’s trick, he becomes obsessed. How does his obsession with her trick intersect with his apparent obsession with Lizaveta?

How does Pushkin’s story use irony to warn the reader about Hermann’s fate?