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Chapter companions for The Peasants by Władysław Reymont.

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  1. Chapter 1

    Publisher’s Note

    A brief note from the publisher acknowledging the translator and the assistant who helped bring the English edition of The Peasants to press.

  2. Chapter 2

    The Peasants

    The opening of the novel introduces the rural world of Lipka, setting the stage for the lives of peasants bound to the land, their labor, and the social structures that govern them.

  3. Chapter 3

    Autumn

    The chapter depicts the arrival of autumn in the village of Lipka, focusing on the changing seasons, the preparations for winter, and the ongoing tensions within the community, particularly around the Boryna family and the impending marriage of Yagna to old Boryna.

  4. Chapter 4

    Chapter I

    The chapter opens with the Squire attending the funeral of Matthias Boryna, the foremost farmer in Lipka, and attempting to negotiate with the villagers, who are suspicious and divided in their opinions. After the burial, the Boryna household is filled with grief and eerie tension, as the family and villagers mourn. The priest delivers a fiery sermon condemning the villagers' sins, and the funeral concludes with a feast. Yagna, the widow, is ostracized by the community, while Hanka and others make arrangements with the priest for the funeral.

  5. Chapter 5

    II

    The chapter describes the Feast of Saint Peter and Paul in Lipka, with church bells ringing, villagers gathering, and a festive atmosphere. It covers the departure of the Germans, the Squire's negotiations with the peasants, and the interactions of characters like Yagna, Hanka, Vitek, and the dziad. Yagna is captivated by Yanek, the organist's son, during the church service.

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  1. Chapter 6III
  2. Chapter 7IV
  3. Chapter 8Chapter V
  4. Chapter 9Simon's Wedding and the Struggle for Land
  5. Chapter 10Chapter VII
  6. Chapter 11VIII
  7. Chapter 12Chapter IX
  8. Chapter 13The Search for Roch
  9. Chapter 14Chapter XI
  10. Chapter 15Chapter XII
  11. Chapter 16Winter
  12. Chapter 17Chapter I
  13. Chapter 18II
  14. Chapter 19III
  15. Chapter 20IV
  16. Chapter 21Chapter V
  17. Chapter 22Simon's Wedding and the Struggle for Land
  18. Chapter 23Chapter VII
  19. Chapter 24VIII
  20. Chapter 25Chapter IX
  21. Chapter 26The Search for Roch
  22. Chapter 27Chapter XI
  23. Chapter 28Chapter XII
  24. Chapter 29Chapter XIII
  25. Chapter 30Spring
  26. Chapter 31Chapter I
  27. Chapter 32II
  28. Chapter 33III
  29. Chapter 34IV
  30. Chapter 35Chapter V
  31. Chapter 36Simon's Wedding and the Struggle for Land
  32. Chapter 37Chapter VII
  33. Chapter 38VIII
  34. Chapter 39Chapter IX
  35. Chapter 40The Search for Roch
  36. Chapter 41Chapter XI
  37. Chapter 42Summer
  38. Chapter 43Chapter I
  39. Chapter 44II
  40. Chapter 45III
  41. Chapter 46IV
  42. Chapter 47Chapter V
  43. Chapter 48Simon's Wedding and the Struggle for Land
  44. Chapter 49Chapter VII
  45. Chapter 50VIII
  46. Chapter 51Chapter IX
  47. Chapter 52The Search for Roch
  48. Chapter 53Chapter XI
  49. Chapter 54Chapter XII
  50. Chapter 55Chapter XIII
  51. Chapter 56Endnotes
The Peasants — Chapters Explained