Resurrection · Chapter
Chapter XXXVIII explained
On a Sunday morning, Máslova awakens in the women's ward to the harsh routine of prison life.
What happens
On a Sunday morning, Máslova awakens in the women's ward to the harsh routine of prison life. The women prepare for mass, enduring the stench, quarrels, and the callousness of the jailers. After inspection, the prisoners file into the prison church, a lavishly decorated space funded by a wealthy merchant, where the convicts—women, men, and those in chains—take their places for the service.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This scene is the dramatic climax because it forces Nekhlúdoff to confront the central moral crisis of the nov…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Injustice of the Legal System
The chapter depicts the dehumanizing prison routine and the stark contrast between the ornate church and the suffering of the convicts, highlighting systemic injustice.
- Hypocrisy of Religion and Morality
The prisoners are forced to attend a lavish church service while enduring brutal conditions, underscoring the hypocrisy of religious observance in the face of social cruelty.
Characters to notice
- Katerina Maslova
Máslova wakes with dread, participates in the morning routine, and goes to church with the other women.
- Korableva
Korabléva is already awake and calls Máslova at the whistle.
- Theodosia Birukoff
Theodosia tries to quiet a screaming baby and walks with Máslova in the column to church.
- Euphemia Botchkova
Bótchkova is seen by Máslova in front and is pointed out as her enemy.
Key passages
“Oh, dear! life again,” thought Máslova, with horror, involuntarily breathing in the air that had become terribly noisome towards the morning.”
Máslova wakes in horror, dreading another day and inhaling the foul morning air.
This captures Máslova's despair and the oppressive prison atmosphere.
“The prison church had been rebuilt and ornamented by a rich merchant, who spent several tens of thousands of roubles on it, and it glittered with gay colours and gold.”
The prison church was lavishly renovated by a wealthy merchant at great expense, shining with bright colors and gold.
Highlights the contrast between the prisoners' suffering and the opulence of the church.
