Book
The Cause of It All
The work explores themes surrounding the impacts of alcohol and societal struggles within a peasant family setting.
"The Cause of it All" by graf Leo Tolstoy is a play in two acts. The work explores themes surrounding the impacts of alcohol and societal struggles within a peasant family setting.
This edition's title page does not name its translator.
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Read a passage
Autumn. A peasant's hut, with a small room partitioned off. Akulína sits spinning; Martha the housewife is kneading bread; little Paráshka is rocking a cradle.
MARTHA. Oh dear, my heart feels heavy! I know it means trouble; there's nothing to keep him there. It will again be like the other day, when he went to town to sell the firewood and drank nearly half of it. And he blames me for everything.
AKULÍNA. Why look for trouble? It is still early, and the town is a long way off. For the present …
MARTHA. What do you mean by early? Akímych is back already. He started after Michael but Michael's not back yet! It's worry worry all day long; that's all the pleasure one gets.
AKULÍNA. Akímych took his load straight to a customer; but our man took his to sell at the market.
MARTHA. If he were alone I shouldn't worry, but Ignát is with him; and when he's with that lousy hound (God forgive me!), he's sure to get drunk. Early and late one toils and moils. Everything is on our shoulders! If one only got anything by it! But no! hustling about all day long is all the pleasure one gets.
Door opens and Tarás enters with a ragged Tramp.
306 TARÁS. Good day to you! I've brought a man who wants a night's lodging.[1]
Contents
- 01The Cause of It All a Play in Two Acts
- 02Characters
- 03Act I
- 04Act II
About this edition
- Author
- Leo Tolstoy
- Era
- Modern (c. 1800–1945)
- Reading level
- Introductory: no background needed
- Formats
- EPUB, PDF
- Length
- 18 pages
- This edition
- Modern Philosophers