Roman V. Nabokov's “Defense of Luzhin”, a brief summary of which we present to your attention, was released in 1930. According to many critics, this work brought the author to the vanguard of the Russian literary community, creating under conditions of emigration.
In bright, but somewhat dark colors, Nabokov describes the life vicissitudes of a talented chess player, for whom the world around him became a mirror image of a chess game.
Farewell to childhood
Every summer, little Sasha Luzhin spends with her parents in the country, and in the fall the family returns to St. Petersburg, in their city apartment. This year in the life of a boy who was still under the care of a French governess, unexpected changes should occur: his father announced to Sasha that he was going to go to school. This news scares a quiet home boy. His imagination depicts the horrors of future daily communication with peers. So begins the story of the fate of the future genius in a book on the cover of which a laconic inscription is displayed: "V. Nabokov." Luzhin's defense "." A summary of the first few chapters tells about the childhood experiences of the young hero.
When the Luzhin family at the end of the summer season, having collected the necessary things, is preparing to be sent to the city, Sasha runs away directly from the railway station into the forest. A drizzled rain drives a little stubborn man to a village house. The boy is hiding in the attic in the hope that no one will find him there. Among the usual attic rubbish, Sasha notices the old chessboard, not yet suspecting what role this object will play in his future life. Soon, adults discover the fugitive, and the black-bearded miller in his arms carries the boy into a road cart. Parting with children's illusions could be called this part of the novel "Luzhin's Defense." A brief summary of the chapters of the entire work introduces the reader to the feelings of a vulnerable teenager, a focused young man and an adult man.
School grievances and parental misunderstanding
Relations with classmates, which Sasha was afraid of, did not work out for him. First, the boys tease him Antosha on behalf of the character of one of the stories of Luzhin Sr., who wrote children's books. Sasha prefers not to notice sharp jokes in his address; he closes in on himself. Soon, everyone forgets about him, looking at him as if from scratch.
If we had to write a short essay on the topic: “V. Nabokov: “Luzhin’s Defense”, a brief summary, analysis of the work and the characterization of the protagonist ”, it would be safe to say: the isolation and inactivity of a teenager were the very protection against social encroachments on his inner world. The validity of this statement is easy to verify by continuing to read the novel.
A father who visited the gymnasium a month later to find out about his son’s successes hears from the teacher that the boy, although not without his abilities, is too lethargic and uninitiated. Sasha did not show success in studying school subjects, in conversations with parents on the subject of study, he preferred to remain silent, sometimes he had outbreaks of unmotivated anger. The father begins to suspect that the only son is sick with some kind of mental illness, but still hopes that a great future awaits the boy.
Introducing the world of chess
On the anniversary of the death of Sasha’s maternal grandfather, a musical evening is organized in the Luzhin’s house, since the deceased old man was considered a good composer. One of the invited musicians, whom Sasha accidentally encountered in his father’s office, enthusiastically responds in a short conversation about the chess game, calling it “the fascination of the Gods”. It is known that Vladimir Nabokov himself was fond of the art of composing chess studies. "Luzhin's Defense" is a summary of his views on this ancient game, its impact on human destinies.
The next day, when the boy’s mother starts a quarrel with his father, suspecting her husband of treason, Sasha again retires to his office. Here is the second cousin of the mother, who is staying in the house of the Luzhins. It was this woman who caused the scandal between the parents. The boy asks his aunt to teach him how to play chess. The girl rebukes under the pretext that training can take too much time. The boy insists on his own, and the aunt with a sigh shows how to arrange the pieces, explains the rules for their movement on the chessboard. At first glance, the events in the novel "Luzhin's Defense", the brief content of which we are trying to convey, develop slowly and quite mundane.
Youthful protest
One day, Sasha watches a game of chess of his classmates. Unexpectedly for himself, the boy discovers that, not knowing how to play, he understands much more in this magical action than his peers. At this moment, a plan is ripening in his head, and Sasha sets about implementing the plan the next morning. In the plot of the novel "Luzhin's Defense", the brief content of which cannot contain many important details, one of the climaxes comes.
Pretending to go to school, the boy stops attending classes, spending days all day in the house of his second cousin. A young woman gives him the first lessons of a chess game. Then, an old man begins to study Sasha, who often visits his aunt. Parents soon become aware of school absenteeism, scandals flare up in the house again. But this does not bother Sasha anymore; he enthusiastically studies the magazines, playing chess games on them.
The first losses and the beginning of a chess career
A week later, young Luzhin learns about the death of an old man from whom he took lessons from the game. This news is a heavy burden on the fragile psyche of the boy. Parents are forced to take Sasha abroad to provide treatment for a protracted nervous breakdown.
After some time, the mother returns to Russia, Sasha remains with his father. Luzhin Sr. often appears in society with a young lady, in which the boy recognizes his second cousin. Soon a telegram arriving from Petersburg announcing the death of Sasha’s mother.
The father, imbued with his son’s hobby for chess, allows him to participate in various tournaments. The growing young man wins one victory after another, this occupation begins to bring not only fame, but also money. The organization of chess matches and simultaneous game sessions is handled by a specially attracted person - Mr. Valentinov.
Life in exile and marriage
The First World War and the October Revolution forced the Luzhin family to finally settle abroad, they settled in Berlin. In 1928, Luzhin Sr. recalls his long-standing idea of ​​writing a book about a talented young man who passed away early. The details of the work are carefully thought out, but something impedes the implementation of this plan. It soon turns out that even the failed author himself did not have long to live: as a result of a severe cold, he develops a lung disease, resulting in a sudden death.
Young Luzhin, turning into a sullen man with a heavy hunched figure, continues his chess career. All his games end with an invariable victory, in the near future he hopes to win the champion title. In preparation for one of the most important tournaments, Alexander meets a Russian girl from an emigrant family. The young woman considers Luzhin a real genius and soon, despite the protests of her parents, marries him.
Mixing the game with reality
The invincible chess player manages to leave far behind all the opponents. But this tournament should be decisive in a dispute with a long-time opponent - a grandmaster from Italy named Turati. The hours-long match is interrupted, without having identified the winner, the position on the chessboard portends a draw.
This difficult game completely exhausts Luzhin’s strength, which leads to another nervous breakdown and a long illness. On the recommendation of a doctor, his wife seeks to erase all memories of chess from Alexander’s memory, and tries to prevent any attributes of the game from catching his eye. But in the inflamed brain of a chess player, episodes of real life are firmly intertwined with chess etudes.
Valentinov, about whom nothing had been heard the last few years, reminds himself of himself by phone, asks for a meeting with Luzhin. The wife, citing Alexander’s illness, refuses Valentinov’s request. In the immediate plans of the spouses is moving to another city, and before that, visiting the grave of his father. Here we begin to guess why such a name was given to his work by Nabokov - “Luzhin's Defense”. A summary of the chapters of this novel brings us closer to the denouement of the plot.
All thoughts of a chess genius are busy with the analysis of an incomplete game. In his imagination, chess pieces take on the images of people he has ever met, and playing moves are associated with the actions of others or with their own actions. In Luzhin’s head, plans are made for impenetrable defense against an enemy attack. The chess player is sure that only an unexpected, even absurd move, is able to break the opponent’s tactics. At the same time, the chess strategy is transferred to the events of the real world.
The painful quest for the right course
One day, leaving the city, accompanied by his wife and mother-in-law, Luzhin leaves them under the pretext of having to visit a dentist. He wanders the streets, enters various establishments, as if he is messing up traces. He understands that in all these actions there is nothing new, his every move is known to the chess opponent, so victory will not succeed. Luzhin’s defense is a summary of the life strategy that a person with a frustrated psyche associates with a game of chess.
Approaching his house, Luzhin meets at the entrance of an old acquaintance Valentinov. He seats a man in a car and takes him to a film studio, where he now works. Valentinov is trying to persuade Luzhin to star in a feature film with the participation of real chess players. Alexander feels that shooting is just an excuse to drag him into a losing game and make him make the wrong move.
The ingenious solution to complex multi-path
Luzhin arrives home, with difficulty rises to the top floor. He begins to quickly walk through the rooms of the apartment, despite the requests of the crying wife to stop and explain the essence of what is happening. Finally, Luzhin finishes his marathon, puts the contents of his pockets on the nightstand and kisses the hands of his wife. “The only right move found! You just need to leave the game, drop out of it! ” - such a thought illuminates the inflamed imagination of a chess genius.
This evening guests are invited to the house. The first doorbell rings, the maid runs to open, the wife goes to greet the newcomer. Taking advantage of the moment, Luzhin locked himself in the bathroom. On the shelves of a chest of drawers standing here, Alexander climbs onto the windowsill of a high window. Dangling his legs outside, he inhales the frosty air with a full chest. The door shudders under the onslaught of people, the worried voice of his wife is clearly audible. But the chess player does not care. He prepared to make the final move, leading to victory and unlimited freedom. After a minute, the door to the bathroom was still knocked out, but there was no one to save.
Thus ends the last chapter of the novel, the plot of which contains a description of a lifetime, and the title is not particularly florid (but the author decided this - V. Nabokov) - “Luzhin's Defense”. Reviews about this work can be summarized and expressed in just one phrase: not everyone can bear the burden of genius. But this is not fault, but the misfortune of people endowed with exceptional talents. Is not it?