Polikushka

"Polikushka," known in Russian as "Поликушка," was first published in 1863 in the second issue of the journal "Русский вестник" (Russkiy Vestnik). The author began work on this novella during his second journey abroad, basing the plot on real events recounted to him in Brussels by a daughter of Prince M.A.. The story unfolds on the estate of Awdotja Nikolajewna, where the shrewd manager Yegor Mikhailovich must select a third young man for military service from the village of Pokrowskoje. To spare the Dutlov family, Yegor recommends Polikei Ilyich, a "horse doctor" with a reputation as a thief.

The account then follows Polikei, whom the lady of the estate trusts to collect a large sum of money, aiming to prove his trustworthiness. yet, Polikei loses the envelope containing 1617 rubles and, unable to face his mistress, hangs himself in his impoverished dwelling. His wife, Akulina, loses her sanity, while Semyon Dutlov, the uncle of the recruited Ilya, discovers the lost money and returns it to the lady. Overcome by guilt for not having sent one of his own sons to the military, Semyon, with the manager's help, finds a replacement and buys his nephew's freedom for 400 rubles. This work is a forceful social commentary on the precariousness of life under serfdom and the deep moral and psychological burdens it imposed.

This critical reader's edition presents a modern translation of the original manuscript, crafted for the modern reader with clean, modern language and simplified sentence structures that clarify his difficult Russian phrasing and specific antiquated references. Supplementary material enriches the text with autobiographical, historical, and linguistic setting, including an afterword by the translator on Tolstoy's personal history, impact, and intellectual legacy, an index of the philosophical concepts he employs, giving attention to Existentialism and influence by Schopenhauer, a complete chronological list of his published writings, and a detailed timeline of his life, showing the personal relationships that shaped his philosophy.