Author

OSTROVSKIY, A[leksandr Nikolaevich].

Title

Bednaia Nevesta. [The Poor Bride.]

Published, Date

Stepanov, Moskva,1852.

Description

Large 8vo. 128 pp. incl. title; some light spotting and staining. Russian contemporary quarter sheep, marbled paper boards; minor repairs to spine.

Note

First edition: a very good copy of this rare early play by one of the leading Russian playwrights of the 19th century. Ostrovsky's second play was first published in the literary magazine 'The Muscovite' (edited by Mikhail Pogodin) earlier in 1852. Initially banned for production by the censor, it was one of the author's first plays to be produced on stage, at the Malyy Theatre, Moscow, in 1853. From this date until his death no year passed without a new play by Ostrovsky (1823-66) appearing on the stage of the Imperial theatres. 'The Poor Bride realistically shows the unfortunate position of women in Ostrovsky's time, whose only hope of economic security was in marrying for money, not love. Though at moments the author parodies the romantic archetype, he states no thesis, but merely implies one in the relentless realism characteristic of both his first plays' (Terras).

References

Not in Kilgour or Smirnov-Sok., Biblioteka. OCLC records only 6 locations (University of Melbourne, LoC, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina and Columbia).

Stock Number

83608