Tolstoy worked on the story “After the Ball” in August 1903. The plot was based on an episode from the life of Tolstoy’s brother, Sergei Nikolaevich, who was in love with the daughter of a military leader in Kazan. Sergei Nikolaevich's relationship with the girl was upset after he had to see the execution of a soldier, which was led by the father of his beloved.

The theme of the cruelty of military service under the tsarist regime so strongly and constantly worried Tolstoy that the idea of ​​the story immediately clearly emerged in his creative imagination.

But the writer raises another very important problem for him: can a person by himself “understand what is good and what is bad,” or “it’s all about the environment”? “...For personal improvement, it is necessary, first of all, to change the conditions among which people live,” this is what the interlocutors of respected Ivan Vasilyevich say at the beginning of the story “After the Ball.” And his answer: “But I think it’s all a matter of chance,” provides a thematic setting for resolving the main idea at the end of the story.

The narration is told on behalf of Ivan Vasilyevich, an elderly man who recalls the story of the days of his youth, when he was “a very cheerful and lively fellow, and also rich,” and also handsome. From a short introduction we learn that this man is respected by everyone, that “he spoke very sincerely and truthfully,” and has a wealth of life experience. All this gives special confidence to the hero.

At the center of the work is an event that happened one morning and played a decisive role in the fate of Ivan Vasilyevich.

The story is structured as a consistent and contrasting depiction of two episodes: a ball at the provincial leader's and the punishment of a soldier on the parade ground. The contrasting episodes are organically connected and develop the artistic idea.

At the ball, the hero, then a student at a provincial university, happily in love with the lovely girl Varenka, the daughter of Colonel Pyotr Vladislavovich, “like an old campaigner of Nikolaev bearing,” not noticing anything around him, danced only with her. The beautiful hall, the music, the brilliance of the outfits - all this only enhanced the state in which the young man was when “without wine... drunk with love.”

The greatest impression on him was made by the mazurka that the graceful Varenka danced with her father, a handsome, stately, tall, still fresh old man, and although the colonel was overweight, “it was clear that he had once danced beautifully.”

This dance between father and daughter was the most touching episode of the ball, which added heat to the fire of the hero’s soul: “... love for Varenka freed all the ability of love hidden in my soul. At that time I embraced the whole world with my love. I loved the hostess... and her husband, and her guests, and her lackeys... For her father, with his home boots and an affectionate smile similar to hers, I felt at that time some kind of enthusiastically tender feeling "

After the ball, the young man, arriving home at five o'clock in the morning, could not sleep, so he decided to take a walk, and the strange sounds of a flute and drum, dissonant with the melody of the mazurka, which was still sounding in him, attracted his attention.

He saw a terrible picture: “Soldiers in black uniforms stood in two rows opposite each other, holding guns to their feet, and did not move. Behind them stood a drummer and a flute player, constantly repeating the same unpleasant and shrill melody.”

Between these rows, the young man saw a man naked to the waist, who was being hit with sticks from both sides, and he did not fall only because he was led, tied to guns. Instead of a back, the poor Tatar, who tried to escape, “had something so motley, wet, red, unnatural...”.

And this execution was led by a stately colonel, who just a few hours ago had so touchingly danced a mazurka with his daughter, and in him it was impossible to guess such sophisticated evil cruelty, fueled by official zeal.

By contrasting the two scenes, Tolstoy tears off the mask from the outwardly prosperous, elegant reality. And the hero himself understands “what is good and what is bad”; in his perception, the image of the colonel was too closely intertwined with the image of Varenka, she also became unpleasant to him. But not only “love came to naught”, after this wild incident the hero “could not enter military service, as he wanted before, and not only did not serve in the military, but did not serve anywhere...”

43ec517d68b6edd3015b3edc9a11367b

43ec517d68b6edd3015b3edc9a11367b

43ec517d68b6edd3015b3edc9a11367b

The story is narrated from the perspective of Ivan Vasilyevich, who, answering the question of what is needed for personal perfection, shares an event that changed his life.

While studying at the university, he was in love with a girl named Varenka. Once on Maslenitsa at the governor’s ball, he saw her father, Colonel Pyotr Vladislavovich, who aroused his real admiration. Ivan Vasilyevich himself danced at the ball only with Varenka, and when the hostess of the evening asked the colonel to walk in the mazurka with her daughter, he, along with the other guests, watched them enthusiastically.

After the ball, Ivan Vasilyevich could not sleep, so he decided to take a walk around the city. Somehow it happened that he ended up near Varenka’s father’s house. Not far from the house, he saw a crowd and came closer to see what was happening there. It turned out that the soldiers were chasing a deserter through the ranks. Varenka’s father watched everything that was happening, demanding that the soldiers not spare the deserter and forcefully lower their sticks onto his back. When the colonel saw Ivan Vasilyevich, he did not show that they knew each other.

This event could not get out of the narrator's head. He thought for a long time about how to react to what he saw. And it was this that influenced not only the fact that he could not enter the service, but also his feelings for Varenka, since, seeing her, he immediately remembered the scene of the punishment he saw.

The main characters of "After the Ball:"

Ivan Vasilyevich - the story is told on his behalf, main character

Varenka is the girl with whom Ivan Vasilyevich was in love.

Petr Vladislavovich- Varenka's father (Colonel).

A brief abridged retelling of “After the Ball” was prepared by Oleg Nikov for the reader’s diary.

Leo Tolstoy wrote After the Ball in 1903, but it was first published in 1911, after the death of the great Russian writer. The story is based on a true story that happened to the writer’s older brother, Sergei. While still a student, Lev Nikolaevich lived with his brothers in Kazan. His brother Sergei Nikolaevich was in love with Varvara, the daughter of the military mayor Andrei Petrovich Koreysha, and often came to visit them. But one day Sergei Nikolaevich saw how, under the leadership of Varya’s father, they beat a fugitive soldier. The whole picture shocked him so much that the desire to get married young man disappeared immediately. And now, in fact, you can take on the summary of “After the Ball.” So, several people are having small talk and thinking about everything.

"After the ball." Summary

Dear Ivan Vasilyevich was a great expert at all sorts of stories. And so, one day, being among his friends, he started a conversation about how a person cannot always understand what is good and what is bad, since in order to improve it is necessary to change his environment, they say, it eats a person. And he immediately added that in his situation, which he will talk about later, chance, not environment, played a big role in fate.

Ivan Vasilyevich describes two paintings. In the first one, everything is beautiful, happy and dressed up guests are dancing at a ball, having come to pay tribute to the provincial leader, whom the author describes as a very sweet and good-natured person who constantly took care of his daughter Varenka. The old man really treats her very carefully and even saved on himself for her sake. Summary“After the Ball” notes that the Mazurka dance of father and daughter evokes deep emotion and admiration among the entire audience present at the ball. The festive atmosphere is complemented just before Lent by the last day of Maslenitsa.

Love

The summary of “After the Ball” further tells that the then very young Ivan was head over heels in love with the beautiful Varenka. He couldn't be without her for even a minute. Then, after the ball, he could not fall asleep for a long time and kept fiddling with the feather from the fan she had given him. However, the situation changes when he decides to take a walk through fresh air. Varenka’s house was visible in the distance, and some strange music and noise could be heard from there. Ivan decided to come closer and saw a cruel picture there. Under the leadership of Varenka’s father, a bloody massacre of soldiers with sticks takes place over a fugitive Tatar soldier, who was groaning and writhing in pain, and was already looking like something red, wet and unnatural.

Analysis of the work

A summary of Tolstoy’s “After the Ball” indicates that the writer in this work conveys his state before parting with formal faith, because he was anathematized because of his religious beliefs. The writer emphasizes that the execution takes place on Forgiveness Sunday. By this he emphasizes the completely unmerciful and unchristian nature of society, since a Muslim is beaten. In this case, the Christian faith is taught in the form of violence to those of other faiths. Tolstoy wanted to see an ideal in many ways, and this is why he suffered all his life with his thoughts and desires. Humility and repentance were not a top priority for him in his Christian life, and he decided to choose his own path.

1. Ivan Vasilievich- narrator. In the story, he is young and ambitious, in love with a charming girl Varenka. Honest and conscientious, ready to help even an ordinary peasant.
2. Varenka– a young girl, sweet and innocent.
3. Petr Vasilievich- Varenka’s father, an active colonel. He behaves nicely and politely with his daughter, in the service he shows cruelty and aggression, he is despotic and cruel.

Other heroes

1. Tatar soldier- all that is known is that he was a soldier in Pyotr Vasilyevich’s regiment. After an unsuccessful attempt to escape, he was caught and punished for his deed.

The story begins with a discussion between friends about whether the environment can influence a person’s self-improvement, whether it can change his life. Ivan Vasilyevich invites his friends to listen to a story that will definitely answer this question.

At the ball

In his youth, Ivan Vasilyevich was a very romantic person, and this feeling was fueled by his love for the charming Varenka. He was at the next ball, which was organized by the girl’s family, and everything seemed wonderful to him. The hosts surprised us with their kindness and hospitality, the house was large and luxurious, the music was cheerful, and the food was very tasty.

He does not take his eyes off Varenka’s father, Colonel Pyotr Vasilyevich. Everything about him seems so kind, sympathetic and noble. The man communicates with his daughter in a sweet manner, expressing tenderness and pride.

The main character also notices his homemade boots, and he comes to the conclusion that he is saving on himself so that his daughter does not need anything. The whole evening passes in a nice and good-natured atmosphere, and in this mood he goes home.

After the ball

The ball ends early in the morning, and the main character walks towards his home. In the middle of the field, he notices a strange picture and peers into the fog for a very long time to understand what is happening there. When the images took shape, he was at the same time horrified by what he saw. A dozen soldiers gathered around the Tatar, who was being punished for trying to escape.

Each of the soldiers had a stick and each hit it once on the back of the fugitive soldier. The man muttered something inaudibly, and then began to beg: “Brothers, have mercy,” but no one let go of his stick. Having recovered a little from the shock, Ivan Vasilyevich saw something that turned his consciousness upside down, removed his naivety and love for all people, he saw who was at the head of this punishment. Pyotr Vasilyevich stood a little further away and beat one of the soldiers, who took pity on the fugitive and was ashamed to beat him.

The man who seemed kind, noble and honest to him appeared before him in the role of Satan. There was a fire in his eyes, cruelty and malice were visible in his actions. When Pyotr Vasilyevich noticed Ivan, he pretended that he did not know him, continuing the punishment. Then, the main character felt bad, fear and shame arose in his heart.

The rest of the way home he tried to find an excuse for what he had seen. But every time. When he remembered Varya’s father, the image of a despotic and cruel man with bloody hands arose before his eyes. All this did not leave him for a long time; the shock of what he saw did not go away the next day, or a week later.

Conclusion

That event radically changed the young man’s life. His love for Varenka disappeared in a few moments; he no longer sought meetings with her. Something broke in Ivan, that youthful naivety and love for people. He suddenly realized what cruel people are at the head of our state.

The changed worldview did not allow him to serve the state. That is why he did not become an officer and did not become an official, because he could not serve the state with unjust and cruel laws.

Test on the story After the ball

After the ball
Summary of the story
Respected by everyone, Ivan Vasilyevich unexpectedly changes the topic of conversation: he is convinced that the environment does not affect a person’s way of thinking, but it’s all a matter of chance. He tells the story of his youthful love for the beautiful Varenka B. Like other young officers, Ivan Vasilyevich spent his evenings at balls, caroused with his comrades, and did not attend university circles, etc. At the ball of the provincial leader, he constantly dances with Varenka, dressed in white and pink dress, feels that his love is mutual. Ivan Vasilyevich has an exclusively platonic feeling for the object of his love. Varenka’s father appears, “a very handsome, stately, tall and fresh old man” with a ruddy face and a luxurious mustache (like Nicholas I), a colonel. The owners persuade him to dance a mazurka with their daughter. While dancing, the couple attracts everyone's attention. Ivan Vasilyevich is touched by the fact that the colonels wear unfashionable calf boots, that is, he denies himself a lot in order to dress and take his beloved daughter out into the world. After the mazurka, the father takes Varenka to Ivan Vasilyevich, and the young people spend the rest of the evening together. Ivan Vasilyevich returns home in the morning, but cannot sleep and goes to wander around the city in the direction of Varenka’s house. From afar, he hears the sounds of a flute and a drum, which endlessly repeat the same shrill melody. On the field in front of B.'s house, he sees how some Tatar soldiers are being driven through the line for escaping. The execution is commanded by Varenka’s father, a handsome, stately Colonel B. Tatarin begs the soldiers to “have mercy,” but the colonel strictly makes sure that the soldiers do not give him the slightest indulgence. One of the soldiers “smears.” B. hits him in the face. Ivan Vasilyevich sees the red, motley, blood-wet back of the Tatar and is horrified. Noticing Ivan Vasilyevich, B. pretends that he does not know him and turns away. Ivan Vasilyevich thinks that the colonel is probably right, since everyone admits that he is acting normally. However, he cannot understand the reasons that forced B. to brutally beat a man, and not understanding, he decides not to enlist in military service. His love is waning. So one incident changed his life and views.

(No Ratings Yet)

You are currently reading: Summary After the ball - Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich