"The Old Genius": a brief summary. "Old genius" Leskov by chapters

Nikolai Semenovich Leskov (1831-1895) is a famous Russian writer. Many of his works are held in school. To study one of the most famous stories of the writer will help a brief summary. Leskov wrote the "old genius" in 1884, the same year the story was published in the magazine "Shards". Then it was reprinted many times.

Chapter first

In it we get acquainted with an elderly woman, we learn that she came to Petersburg on a "scandalous case". The old woman was kind and somehow regretted the son of an unfamiliar woman, giving him money in debt.

The young man had a difficult situation - whether he lost money in cards, or because of a passing passion lost money. He told the old woman that he needed to get to Peter somehow. She took pity on the man and gave him money in debt.

But he did not hurry to give them away, on the contrary, he pretended that he did not receive those letters in which the woman asked him to give him his debt. At first the messages were soft, but due to the fact that the debtor did not answer, they became more severe. However, this did not lead to anything.

And in the care of my grandmother was a sick daughter and a young granddaughter. To then lend, the old woman laid her house, and now the family consisting only of women was threatened with a terrible - they could lose their homes and stay on the street. This is a brief summary. "Old genius" Leskov wrote in five chapters, then we turn to the second.

Chapter Two

From it we learn that the lawyer won the case, and the court decided to return the debt. But on this positive news came to an end, because the man skillfully hid, and he had a powerful kin. Therefore, no one wanted to contact him.

Representatives of the law, the state people sympathized with my grandmother, said that they felt sorry for her, but let her leave this empty venture. The woman was genuinely puzzled, she knew that he was not a poor man and could easily repay the debt.

She was explained that he took money not only from her, but to give them is not used. Representatives of the law hinted to the applicant that he could cause her trouble if she did not calm down. They said that it was better for her to walk quietly along Nevsky Prospekt or go home. But she believed that the debtor is a good person, he just "got bogged down".

The woman was told that she could go with her case to higher authorities. That's what she did. About this, too, will provide a brief summary. "The old genius" - Leskov so called one intelligent person. Whom, you will learn more about this later.

The third chapter

It begins with the fact that an elderly woman went to the higher authorities, but this did not lead to a positive result. There she was told that they did not know where the wanted person was. The old woman told me in which a man can be a house, she was objected, saying that it was his wife's house, and she does not answer for her debts, and he does not live there.

The elderly woman did not know what to do. Then she began to hint that she would give one or even three thousand rubles as a token of gratitude when the debtor was found. But it did not help either.

In this chapter, we learn about one of the main characters of the story, which for the time being remained in the shadows. He will also be briefed about it. "The old genius" - Leskov so called this man, and why - it will soon become clear.

The woman told the interlocutor, on whose behalf the narrative is being conducted, that one person is taking the matter. It was Ivan Ivanovich who called it and assured that he would be able to take back his debt for 500 rubles. The old woman decided to think, but it was not possible to postpone more, but why, Leskov ("The Old Genius") writes about this further in his work. The summary will report this immediately.

Chapter Four

Her narrator begins by the fact that an old woman came to him. She was saddened by the news that Christmas is approaching, and the mortgaged house should soon be sold. Another elderly woman told me that she saw a debtor who walked with a woman. The old woman hurried after the couple, began to scream that the man owes her. However, no one helped her, on the contrary, she was told that she could not be shouted in a crowded place. While they were sorting out, the man with the companion left.

But the elderly woman managed to find out that tomorrow this dandy with a rich lady is leaving abroad, most likely for good. Therefore, it was necessary to act immediately.

It turns out that she had already met Ivan Ivanovich, gave him a pledge of 100 rubles and promised to bring another 400. But the old woman did not have the whole amount. She had only 250 rubles, and 150 asked the narrator, saying that she would return them.

He was also a kind person, thought that even if a woman can not give this money, he will not become poor from this. This was Leskov himself. "The old genius" (the content of this short story you are now reading) goes on to the next episode.

This chapter ends with the fact that the narrator, having given money, began to look forward impatiently to the events. What ended the case, the following will briefly describe. "The old genius" Leskov on the chapters wrote, the narrative in the abbreviation adheres to the same structure.

Chapter 5, Final

It was the third day of Christmas. The old woman, as the author says, "flew" to him in a road dress and immediately gave 150 rubles, and then showed a check for 15 thousand. The narrator understood that everything ended well, but wanted to know the details.

The woman told that she met Ivan Ivanovich, he said that you need to go look for a "Serbian battler." So the author talks about a person who participated in the wars of Serbia with Turkey. Not at once, but they found this man, then everything was discussed.

The next morning the trio went to the station, from which the debtor was serving abroad. The old woman pointed Ivan Ivanovich to the one who was the cause of her troubles, they hid, and the former military soldier went to the arena of theatrical action.

He several times passed slowly past the debtor, who was drinking tea, and then asked sternly about why he looked at him so. The warrior provoked a scandal, hit the dandy. The police approached them. After finding out the personalities, the policeman showed the paper, because of which the debtor could not go abroad. It was a court decision. He soon repaid the debt with interest. This story ended so well.

Leskov, "The Old Genius": the heroes of the story (positive)

There are several of them. Of course, this is an insistent and daring old woman who went to St. Petersburg to save herself, her daughter and granddaughter. Otherwise they would have lost their homes. The narrator is also the hero of the work, since without his 150 rubles it would hardly have been so well finished. Clever Ivan Ivanovich, to whom Leskov gave the nickname "Genius", "Serbian battler" - also positive characters of the story.