Later a Tchaikovsky opera, The Queen of Spades is a short tale of greed that left me intrigued throughout. Hermann the officer was in need of money desperately. He found out from his comrade Tomsky that his grandmother Countess Anna Fedorovna once got out of debt by winning in cards. Her tale is sixty years old and as it ages, Alexander Pushkin is widely known as Russia's master poet.
Her tale is sixty years old and as it ages, it has taken on mythic proportions. On an additional instance, Countess Fedorovna assisted a young officer in getting out of his own debt. Thus, gentlemen seek out the Countess in their greed in hopes that her card skills will bring them wealth. Pushkin uses a young woman to create an additional angle to his short yet evoking story as he counters lust against greed.
As a result, multiple storylines are packed into this tale that is short in length yet long in depth. One can see where the scenes with the Countess and young woman translate well to the stage. Tchaikovsky's production must have been equally compelling. The Queen of Spades is shrewd and lustful and presents a side of Pushkin that may not be revealed in his poetry. This story contains many elements that keep me reading a full length novel- lust, greed, ghosts, and intrigue.
My edition was in a volume of Russian crime and thriller stories of varying lengths. Pushkin's work is just an entry to the abundance of thrilling Russian stories that I am interested in reading. A compelling 4 star read, it would be thrilling to see The Queen of Spades on stage.
It had me hooked, rapidly turning the pages right up until the very end. View all 10 comments. This classic Russian short story is an odd, mystical tale of greed and avarice, and the choices we make in life.
A group of military men is gambling at cards, a few of them commenting on how one of the group, a German named Hermann, never gambles. Another man then tells how his grandmother had been told some mysterious method of a sure bet in playing and guessing three cards. I don't quite get the game here, other than that one predicts the number of the card that is drawn from the d 3.
I don't quite get the game here, other than that one predicts the number of the card that is drawn from the deck, but it's not really important. But with one exception, this mean grandmother has refused all her life to share her card-playing secret with anyone--not even her own kids.
Geez, Grandma, have a heart! Hermann is convinced that this card game secret is the way out of his financial problems, if he can just get Grandmamma to talk to him and tell him the secret. He decides that romancing the grandmother's innocent young ward Lizaveta will be his way in. Some very strange stuff goes down; I haven't figured out whether it's truly spooky paranormal stuff or whether Hermann is just losing his mind over this.
I think the author deliberately left it ambiguous. If you like rather cryptic Russian short stories, this is worth a look. It's an old story, so there are several free copies floating around on the web, including here at this link. At first read this story didn't strike me a particularly profound, but there are literary folks who consider it a masterpiece, so maybe I just didn't search deeply enough for meaning.
Also, although this is on Gutenberg, don't read that version: it's been edited and some significant pieces to the story have been deleted. A better version is the one I linked above, but even that one is missing Pushkin's epigraphs at the beginning of each of the 6 chapters of the original story, that add some depth to the story.
I couldn't find an English version of this story with the epigraphs, so I'll copy them here for your edification, courtesy of Cummings Study Guide : Narrator's Epigraphs and Statements Chapter 1 Topic: Gambling The Queen of Spades denotes secret ill-will. From the latest Fortune-Teller. In the cold, rain, and sleet They together would meet To play.
Lord, forgive them their sin: Gambling, late to win They'd stay. They won and they lost, And put down the cost In chalk. So on cold autumn days They wasted no time In talk. Ryleev and A. They are much fresher. She was all in white and said: "How do you do, Mr. Comment: This fabricated quotation appears at the beginning of the chapter in which Hermann has a vision of the old countess. CSG Comment: The reply of the important person appears to be one that Napoleon might have had made when addressed improperly by an underling.
Hermann, of course, has become like Napoleon in his obsession to conquer the world of cards. The author, Alexander Pushkin, is a well-regarded 19th century Russian author. He lived a brief but exciting life and died at only age 37, shot in a duel by a man Pushkin had accused of having an affair with his Pushkin's wife.
I was motivated to read this by my friend Debbie's review. View all 12 comments. Oct 17, Mohsin Maqbool rated it it was amazing Shelves: favorites , books-read-in RUSSIAN writers have a way of telling stories that have you gripped on the edge of your chair and your eyes hooked on the written word. You neither leave your chair nor take your eyes of the book till you have read the last word. And then the story gets etched in your mind forever like a stupendous photograph. Alexander Pushkin's "The Queen of Spades" starts at the house of a cavalry officer where gambling has just ended.
There are the winners with lit up faces and then there are the losers with faces hanging down. Altai Palace Casino. One of the gamblers asks Herman, a German, as to why he never plays cards or rather gambles. The latter replies, "Play interests me greatly, but I hardly care to sacrifice the necessaries of life" for uncertain superficial things. His friend Tomsky explains that since Herman was a German, therefore he tended to be economical.
But the person he found most difficult to understand was his year-old grandmother, the Countess Anna Fedorovna, who never gambled. Nobody found this to be surprising as nobody expected such an old woman to gamble. Then Tomsky starts telling a story about the Countess by taking the listeners 60 years back when she was only 20 and known as the 'Muscovite Venus'. He goes on that she had gone to Paris where all the ladies loved playing faro and once while playing with the Duke of Orleans, she lost an enormous amount.
Tromsky emphasizes that the Count was ready to give Countess Anna a loan but warns her that she would not enjoy a moment's rest until she had returned it; it would only add to her embarrassment. The story-teller elucidates that the Count then told her a secret which would free her from her burden for good.
Everybody's curiosity is raised on hearing this part of the story. Three of a kind aka set. The Duke of Orleans was the dealer. Grandmother made some excuse for not having brought any money, and began to punt. She chose three cards in succession, again and again, winning every time, and was soon out of debt.
A deadly combination. Now Herman wants to learn the winning combination of cards at all costs, as they have worked more than once for their gamblers. But will he belonging to a noble profession -- a young officer of the Engineering Corps -- do it by hook or by crook? Or will he use the ward of the Countess, a young girl called Lisaveta, as a trump card? He does write to her a beautiful romantic note which sets her heart beating at the speed of a bullet train.
But little does she realize that it has been plagiarized from a German novel. Or will Herman enter the Countess's house on tiptoes in the dead of night to request her to reveal the secret of the cards? Will Herman turn into a millionaire when the story ends? Or will he turn into a pauper at a certain gambling table? Winking Woman. Somewhere in the story you will meet a ghost, you will go on a round of a sanatorium, you will meet a winking woman, you will attend a funeral, you will watch the stakes at a popular gambling house, and you will visit the beautiful city of St Petersburg.
In which order and why I won't tell you. What I will tell you is read the story and read it now as tomorrow never comes! A casino for the jet-set in Moscow. View all 13 comments. Sep 06, Jokoloyo rated it it was amazing. This is a classic light fantasy thriller.
I won't discuss the content much, you must enjoy the story yourself. The story hit me hard at the climax. I put spoiler tag for further discussion. The author used the troupes beautifully, it is not so easy to copy them: The title that actually a spoiler for climax before climax, my intention was to gave this story star, the twist is that good , and rule of three that ex This is a classic light fantasy thriller.
The author used the troupes beautifully, it is not so easy to copy them: The title that actually a spoiler for climax before climax, my intention was to gave this story star, the twist is that good , and rule of three that executed flawlessly how many times I read the rule of three jokes or stories, but still I didn't expect the rule on this story. Alexander Pushkin is a true master of storytelling. View 2 comments. What a masterful bluff!
What a genius this Pushkin! I did not know I was an interpreter but thereby baiting myself with the countess and the story of the count De Saint Germain, then with Hermann a character so reasonable in appearance.
I did not run. I jumped in this story with both feet and could not stop until the game was over. What a devious man this Hermann, suspicious, hypocritical, calculating is. Whom the gold fever will push to the last extremity, and who will not doubt his success even What a masterful bluff! Whom the gold fever will push to the last extremity, and who will not doubt his success even after what he has done. It's a concise, perfect text where I let myself get caught up in the game.
A new author is going through the doors of my library and reading for all. View all 4 comments. This is an interesting short story of a man's greed and his ultimate destruction in its course. Though the work is short, Pushkin has well managed to lay down some fine characters to play out his tale. His writing is simple and precise and easy to read. I really enjoyed this short read and hope to read more of his works in the future. Sep 06, Ammara Abid rated it really liked it. Wow, What a story!
Simply Amazing. Aug 06, Steven Godin rated it liked it Shelves: short-stories , russia-ukraine. This classic tale tells of an inveterate card player who develops a dangerous obsession with the secret of an old lady's luck, which he believes will lead to great wealth.
Told against the background of young aristocrats drinking and gossiping, and one eager eyed German soldier, Hermann listening intriguing to the story of how the once reckless gambler, the now aged Countess Anna Fedotovna, lost and then regained her fortune.
Hermann goes and seduces the young and beautiful Lizaveta Ivanovna in This classic tale tells of an inveterate card player who develops a dangerous obsession with the secret of an old lady's luck, which he believes will lead to great wealth. Hermann goes and seduces the young and beautiful Lizaveta Ivanovna in order to gain access to the bedroom of the Countess who refuses to reveal to him the sequence of the three cards, and when desperately he produces a pistol the poor old Countess has a problem with her ticker.
Back at the card table the audience awaits while Hermann appears for three consecutive days, playing as instructed one of the magic cards each time.
For a short story the reader is kept on edge by the scenario, and it is wonderfully told, but I just wish it had been longer. Because I have read others from Pushkin better than this. Sep 03, Cherie rated it it was amazing. This short story is witty and clever. It gives the reader a feeling that we know something bad is going to happen, someone is going to reap what they have sown--and it is not going to be good.
A character is going to get just what he deserves. Even though it was written in , it is very easy to understand and is highly enjoyable, and still r "For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil Even though it was written in , it is very easy to understand and is highly enjoyable, and still relevant today.
I could see that the possibility of happiness was before him, but he chose the wrong path, because of his greed. This story is not pushy with it's morals, it is one you can sit back and ponder on, and see the life lessons.
This is my first Pushkin, and I will be searching for more of his works, he was so clever. Mar 20, Kathleen rated it liked it Shelves: short-stories , setting-russia. But he did create some interesting characters here, for this story of greed and comeuppance. A fun read, with light Russian touches. Nov 01, Usha rated it liked it Shelves: from-my-dad-s-book-shelf.
Wonderful short story with a moral that is old as time. I loved the twist in the end. Oct 29, Sidharth Vardhan rated it liked it Shelves: short-stories , shorts-readable-online , 7-russian. This is an author I recently discovered and like very much. Aug 08, Lady Jane rated it it was amazing. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This story combines elements of Romantic fiction and the more serious ironic distance of the Neoclassicist period.
Hard to put down once you pick it up due to its deep and poetic prose, and short enough to consume in a sitting. Wow, what a read! What this book lacks in length, it has in depth. It is no wonder that this became one of Fyodor Dostoevsky's favorite books! Its timeless theme of greed and gambling make it as relevant today as then, for even the game of life is a gamble in The Queen of This story combines elements of Romantic fiction and the more serious ironic distance of the Neoclassicist period.
Its timeless theme of greed and gambling make it as relevant today as then, for even the game of life is a gamble in The Queen of Spades. It is the story of a formerly industrious and disciplined man who lost control of himself when he learned the secret to winning big. The condition was that he only play once and take the winnings home. However, as all gamblers of money and life know, it's very hard to just win and go quietly home.
He kept playing to win more until he lost it all-- his money and his mind. Pushkin wrote his books earlier than Dostoevskij, Gogol and Tolstoj, yet his style is so much easier to read. I really liked the ending too. Quick read, and I'm definitely going to read more of Pushkins works. Mar 26, Thomas rated it really liked it. A wonderful story from my first encounter with Pushkin and damned good to. It'going to be a pleasure to explore more of his work.
Loved it - great ending. My first read ever by this famous Russian author, frequently mentioned by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. This short story concerned a greedy young man looking to make a quick fortune at cards. He thought he had found the perfect method. Great ending. Will be looking for more by Pushkin. Now I understand his reputation. Sep 25, Tanya rated it it was amazing. I enjoyed it.
I think it's a fun short story for a cozy October evening. It was atmospheric, but not really scary, so perfect for me. Also, it has a kind of dark humor to it. Which I also liked. Hermann : The game fascinates me but i am not in the position to sacrifice the essentials of life in the hope of acquiring the luxuries proceeds to gamble anyway and loses everything.
Feb 15, Azaghedi rated it really liked it Shelves: russian , 19th-century. I'm not the type who can focus my attention solely on one book--at least not when that book is well over a thousand pages, which is the case with War and Peace , which I'm currently reading. My wandering mind requires little interludes here and there to break things up. That's why I decided to read The Queen of Spades. It's nice and short and therefore will distract me just long enough without diverting my attention from Tolstoy too long.
Shamefully, I have to admit this is my first Pushkin. For s I'm not the type who can focus my attention solely on one book--at least not when that book is well over a thousand pages, which is the case with War and Peace , which I'm currently reading. For someone who considers himself a fan of Russian literature, how could I have gone so long without reading anything from Russia's first great author? Patrick White. More like this. Watch options. Storyline Edit. Those brave enough draw a door and a staircase on a mirror, in darkness, and say her name three times.
What happens next must be experienced to be believed. Four teenagers decide to summon the Queen of Spades as a joke. But they could never imagine the horrors this innocent prank has condemned them and their loved ones too. The evil entity won't stop until she gets their souls.
There are some things that should not be said in front of a mirror. Add content advisory. User reviews 13 Review. Top review. I liked the Russian movie better. Still as far as overdramatic redone versions of foreign films goes it's not the worst. Mum looks barely older than daughter and nearly laughed at girl saying she told police she was babysitting girl who actually looks same age as her.
Annoying and pestering strangers online when you do something dumb and trying to blame them for not helping, super irritating. Not really scary , well maybe if you're a teen who never watches horror movies.. Worth a watch. It looked good , nothing spectacularly original but okay. Details Edit. Release date June 15, United States. Production company website. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Box office Edit.
Technical specs Edit. Runtime 1 hour 31 minutes. Related news. Sep 16 Screen Anarchy. Jul 12 DailyDead.
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