
In a modest provincial town, the rhythms of everyday life pulse beneath a strict patriarchal order that has endured for centuries. The streets bustle with merchants, artisans, and families whose customs feel untouched by the sweeping ideas of Western Europe. Within this tightly wound community, the house of the Kabanov family stands as a micro‑cosm of tradition, where duty and reputation weigh heavily on every breath.
At the heart of the drama is a young woman whose quiet yearning clashes with the expectations imposed upon her. Surrounded by a domineering mother, a meek suitor, and a community that prizes conformity, she grapples with a longing for freedom that feels both impossible and inevitable. The play unfolds as a subtle yet powerful portrait of inner revolt, inviting listeners to feel the tension between personal desire and the crushing weight of a world that resists change.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (120K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Eric Eldred, S.R.Ellison and the DP Proofreading Team
Release date
2005-04-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1823–1886
A central figure in 19th-century Russian drama, he brought merchants, clerks, and family quarrels vividly to the stage with a sharp eye for everyday speech and social pressure. His plays helped shape a more realistic Russian theater and remain best known for their lively characters and moral tension.
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