“Народ безмолвствует.” (“The people remain silent.”)
Prologue
The play opens in 1598, following the death of Tsar Fyodor I. Boris Godunov, a cunning and ambitious nobleman, is urged by the people and clergy to accept the throne, though he hesitates, feigning reluctance. Despite his political maneuvering, he is crowned Tsar, but whispers of guilt over the murder of the young Tsarevich Dmitry haunt him.
Scene 1: The Kremlin
Boris rules Russia with a mix of intelligence and paranoia. A famine strikes the land, and unrest grows among the people. Meanwhile, a young monk named Grigory Otrepyev learns of the murdered Tsarevich Dmitry and decides to impersonate him, fleeing to Poland to gather support against Boris.
Scene 2: The Polish Court
Grigory, now claiming to be Dmitry, gains the favor of Polish nobles and falls in love with Marina Mniszech, a noblewoman who sees him as a path to power. With Polish backing, he raises an army to challenge Boris’s rule.
Scene 3: The Russian Campaign
The False Dmitry marches into Russia, gaining followers among disaffected peasants and nobles. Boris, increasingly tormented by guilt and fear, struggles to maintain control. His military efforts against the impostor falter, and his health deteriorates.
Scene 4: The Fall of Boris
As Dmitry’s forces advance, Boris suffers a sudden collapse and dies, leaving his son Fyodor to inherit the throne. However, the boyars (nobles) betray Fyodor, murdering him and his mother, clearing the way for the False Dmitry’s ascension.
Final Scene: The People’s Silence
The play ends with the crowd gathered in Moscow, witnessing the triumph of the False Dmitry. When urged to hail the new Tsar, the people remain silent—a powerful symbol of their suffering and the cyclical nature of tyranny.
Key Ideas
- The corrupting nature of power and ambition
- The role of fate and divine retribution in history
- The suffering of the common people under political turmoil
- The fragility of legitimacy in autocratic rule
- The tension between personal guilt and public leadership
Who should read this book?
- Fans of historical dramas and political intrigue
- Readers interested in Russian literature and Pushkin’s works
- Those exploring themes of power, guilt, and revolution
- Students of classical theater and verse plays
Notable Adaptations
| Year | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1869 | Modest Mussorgsky’s opera Boris Godunov | One of the most famous adaptations, with multiple revised versions |
| 1954 | Sergei Bondarchuk’s film | A Soviet-era cinematic interpretation |
| 1986 | BBC television adaptation | Starring actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company |