M. Gorky "At the bottom". Summary of the play

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In the rooming house, which belongs to Kostylev and his wife Vasilisa, poor, degraded "former people" live, as Gorky himself defined them. “At the Bottom”, a summary of which we will consider further, with all the terrible truth speaks of them as those who no longer have either faith or hope. Pointlessness

human life, forces these people to paint it, to indulge themselves with ghostly illusions. But reality violently breaks in and destroys them.

M. Gorky "At the bottom". Summary of Act 1

The play begins with an escalating quarrel between Kvashnya, a dumpling vendor, and Klesch, the husband of Anna, who is dying here. Then the guests find out for a long time who should clean the room, because no one wants to do this.

The actor, in order to avoid unscheduled duty, offers to help Anna, who is panting, go out into the hallway, get some air.

At this time, Kostylev appears in the rooming house. He suspects that his young wife is playing tricks with the thief Ash andcame looking for her. But Pepel drives the owner away. To which Satin advises him to kill Kostylev and become the owner of this entire house.

Generous Ash lends money to the Actor. To which Kleshch angrily notices that money is easily given to a thief, and he is a working person and is proud of it.

During this argument, the hostess' sister, Natasha, brought a new guest, Luka. It immediately becomes clear that Vaska Peplu really likes the girl. But it's dangerous. Jealous Vasilisa had already beaten her more than once for this. Indeed, soon behind the scenes, Vasilisa is heard trying to kill Natasha.

M. Gorky "At the bottom". Summary of Act 2

In the evening, almost all of its inhabitants gathered in the rooming house. Some play cards, others play checkers, some sing mournfully.

Luka is sitting at the bed of the unfortunate Anna. He consoles her, explaining that she will rest in the next world and will no longer know troubles. At the same time, he tells the Actor about an amazing hospital for alcoholics, promising to name the city in which it is located later.

Pepel is trying to find out from Medvedev whether Vasilisa beat Natasha badly, for which he hears threats from a policeman. At this moment, Luka intervenes, offering the thief to go to Siberia himself, as it is good there for those who have a head on their shoulders.

A little later, Luka overhears a conversation between Ash and Vasilisa, in which she offered him to kill her husband for money, and then take Natasha and leave.

M. Gorky "At the bottom". Summary of Act 3

Behind the house,in a wasteland, Nastya talks about her love with a Frenchman. It can be seen that the whole plot is drawn from the novels that she loves to read so much. They do not believe her, she is offended, and Luka confirms that if a girl believes that love was, then it is so.

In response to Natasha's question why, he kindly old man replies that someone in the world needs to be like that, and tells the story of the runaway convicts whom he sheltered in the cold winter.

Ash under Luke asks Natasha to believe him again and leave with him. The old man supports the guy and advises to run together. Vasilisa overheard all this. And Kostylev, who appeared in the wasteland, tells Luka to get out of the rooming house.

Soon you can hear the Kostylevs beating Natasha. Ash, standing up for her, accidentally kills the owner in a fight.

"At the bottom", Gorky, summary of act 4

In the turmoil that was at the time, Luka disappeared. The guests cannot forget him. In addition, they say that Natasha, who was scalded with boiling water by her sister that terrible day, has already left the hospital, and nothing more is heard about her. The ashes are on trial, and Vasilisa will surely get out, because she is cunning.

Everyone is gloomy and depressed. Sateen, trying to reconcile his neighbors with life, ardently says that everyone is free in their choice, and no one needs to be pitied - you just need to respect. The guests gathered for the night want to sing all night. They drag out "The sun rises and sets..", but at that time Bubnov runs in and shouts that the Actor hanged himself. There is silence, and only Satin sighs that such a song is ruined.

The play "At the bottom"(Bitter), the summary of the actions of which we examined, is tragic, but very ambiguous, and in order to understand it, a thoughtful reading of the full text is necessary.