Revolution and Resistance

Where it surfaces

• Translator's Preface

  The preface highlights the Doukhobors' resistance to military conscription and their persecution, linking the novel's proceeds to supporting their cause.

• XLIX

  Véra Doúkhova, a political prisoner and revolutionary, reaches out to Nekhlúdoff, highlighting the presence of revolutionary activity and the plight of political prisoners.

• LIV

  The presence of political prisoners, including a mother with a child born in prison, underscores the resistance against the autocratic state.

• LV

  Véra Doúkhova's detailed account of her revolutionary activities and the girl who falsely confessed to shooting a gendarme highlight the themes of political resistance and sacrifice.

• XXV

  Shoústova's arrest and interrogation highlight the risks faced by those involved in revolutionary activities, and the psychological toll of resisting state pressure.

• XXVI

  The aunt's reference to revolutionists who find rest in prison, and her own embitterment after being treated as a 'thing,' underscores the theme of resistance against an oppressive state.

• Chapter II

  Simonson's direct confrontation with the officer and Mary Pavlovna's intervention embody acts of resistance against oppressive authority.

• III

  The political prisoners are portrayed as self-sacrificing individuals who oppose the upper classes, and Máslova comes to admire and sympathize with their revolutionary ideals.

• IV

  Símonson's socialist beliefs, his propaganda work, and his principled silence during his trial exemplify resistance against the existing social and legal order.

• V

  Nekhlúdoff reconsiders his view of revolutionaries, seeing them as ordinary people driven by a higher moral standard, willing to sacrifice everything for the common good.

• VI

  Kryltzóff's transformation into a revolutionary is directly motivated by witnessing the state's execution of innocent prisoners, illustrating how injustice fuels resistance.

• XI

  The political prisoners discuss collective protest against mistreatment, and characters like Véra Doúkhova advocate for organized resistance.

• XII

  Both Nabátoff and Kondrátieff are dedicated revolutionaries, but they differ in their vision: Nabátoff seeks gradual reform of the existing structure, while Kondrátieff desires a more radical overthrow.

• XIII

  The entire group consists of revolutionaries exiled for their political activities; their conversation and bonds are shaped by their shared cause.

• XIV

  The chapter features a heated ideological debate among revolutionaries about the correct path and relationship with the common people.

• XV

  Novódvoroff's revolutionary activity is portrayed as driven by ambition and a desire for supremacy, contrasting with more principled resistance.

• Chapter XVIII

  Kryltzóff's impassioned call for violent destruction of the authorities and the discussion of Pétlin and Nevéroff highlight the radicalization and desperation among political prisoners.

• Chapter XX

  The political prisoners, including Kryltzóff and Símonson, represent revolutionary ideals and resistance against the Tsarist system.

• XXI

  The old man's defiance of the Tsar, courts, and religious authorities, along with his persecution, embodies a form of passive resistance.

• Chapter XXVII

  The old man's defiance and rejection of earthly authority embody a form of spiritual and ideological resistance.