Plays

"Plays" by Aleksandr Nikolaevich Ostrovsky is a compilation of four plays from mid-19th century Russia that paints a story of a society undergoing significant change within its lesser-seen merchant class. These stories explore moral dilemmas that arise in the characters' lives, especially through figures like the overbearing Madam Ulanbékov, her son Leoníd, and the mistreated Nádya, exploring ideas like power, love, and what society expects from characters like them. Through Nádya’s struggle to escape a forced marriage to an undesirable drunkard, whose path is constructed by the wealthy Madam Ulanbékov, the stories set the stage for clashes between personal dreams, desires, and restricting societal expectations.