The historical novel by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin “The Captain's Daughter” is a great example of how expertly the author adapts the work to readers. While preserving the historical timing of the action, accurately conveying speech and manner of narration, Pushkin does not fill the text with complex speech turns and archaic words. The work is easy to read, the actions and experiences of the characters are easy to feel. All the characters are understandable, the main characters do not overshadow the important secondary characters. The heroes of the novel are living people. Not absolutely positive and not absolutely negative. The antagonist Pugachev manifests the most diverse sides of the human character, Pyotr Grinev is shown not as a “knight on a white horse”, but as an ordinary young man with his emotions and emotional throwings.
Chapter I Sergeant Guard
The father of the protagonist, Andrei Petrovich Grinev, who served in his youth under Count Minich, retired as prime minister. Since then, he lived in the Simbirsk village, married Avdotya Vasilievna, the daughter of a poor nobleman. The couple’s only surviving child is Peter Grinev, the main character.
From the age of five, Peter was given up for education to the aspiring Savelich, who will accompany him throughout the entire duration of the novel. At sixteen, Peter was sent to serve in Orenburg under the command of an old friend Andrei Petrovich.
Peter and Savelich arrived in Simbirsk, where they stopped for a day in a tavern. There Grinyov met with captain Zurin, who teaches him how to play billiards, and Peter loses a hundred rubles, and then gets drunk. Savelich has to pay the debt instead of Peter, and he with a troubled conscience and deep remorse goes further from Simbirsk.
Chapter II Counselor
Peter and Savelich go on. Grinev repents, and they put up. As you get closer to your destination, the weather will go bad. Despite the driver's warning about the storm, Peter insisted on continuing the journey. Bad weather found the cart, and they turned off the road to the nearest village. On the way, Peter falls asleep, he has a prophetic dream in which he saw a man with a black beard in his father’s place. Meanwhile, they arrived at the inn, where Grinev saw a blackbeard man from his dream, who turned out to be a counselor, showing them the way to the inn. The next morning, the storm abated, and Grinev was about to set off. He paid the owner, and the counselor gave his hare coat.
In Orenburg, Grinev went straight to the general. He sent him to Belogorsk fortress to captain Mironov.
Chapter III Fortress
Belogorsk fortress was located forty miles from Orenburg. On the very first day, Grinev first met the captain, and then the commandant himself. The next day, Peter met with Shvabrin, they became friends.
On the same day, Grinev first saw Masha Mironova, and he did not really like her, since Shvabrin had previously described her as a near fool.
Chapter IV Duel
After several weeks of living in the Peter fortress, I got used to the peaceful course of affairs here, life became pleasant. He became better acquainted with Marya Ivanovna, and found in her a sensible and sensitive girl. And relations with Shvabrin became less pleasant. Grinev was hurt by his jokes in the direction of the commandant's family, and especially remarks about Masha.
Peter begins to practice writing poetry and devotes them to Masha. He attributed one of his works to Shvabrina, but he criticized and ridiculed him, and also called Masha mercantile and cutesy. Grinev furiously calls Shvabrin a bastard, and he challenges Peter to a duel.
The first time they failed to converge. Ivan Ignatich, chosen by Grinev in seconds, refused to participate in such a case and led the duelists to the commandant. That same evening, Peter finds out that Schwabrin married with Mary a year ago, but was refused. The second time a duel took place. Distracted by Savelich, who escaped to him along the mountain path, Peter was distracted, and was wounded.
Chapter V Love
While Grinev was recovering after being wounded, Masha often went to him, which made him very happy. Peter proposes to Masha, and she agrees, but worries how his parents will react to their union. Grinev writes a letter to his parents, coordinating the text with Masha.
Peter reconciled with Shvabrin in the first days of his recovery. He justified the slander against Masha hurt by the pride of Alexei Ivanovich.
A few days later, an answer comes from Father Grinev. In the letter, he writes that he does not intend to give either consent or blessing for the marriage of her son with Marya Mironova. Masha, learning about the refusal, was very upset, but without the blessing of her parents, Peter did not want to marry him.
Chapter VI Pugachevschina
In early October 1773, the commandant of the Belogorsk fortress received paper from the general. From it it becomes known that the schismatic Emelyan Pugachev fled from under the guard, taking on the name of the late emperor Peter III.
Later, the commandant received an appeal from Pugachev, where he revealed his intention to go to the Belogorsk fortress. When it became known that the neighboring fortress was taken by villains, the commandant and his wife decide to send Masha to Orenburg.
Chapter VII The Attack
Grinev did not sleep all night. At dawn, he wanted to go to the gate and lead Masha. In the morning he learns that Pugachev embarked on the Belogorsk fortress, and Masha did not have time to leave.
An attack has begun. The commandant was wounded in the head, and Peter was captured. They shouted that the sovereign was waiting for the prisoners in the square and was taking the oath. There, in the square, they hanged Ivan Kuzmich for disobedience. In the crowd of rebels Grinev sees Shvabrin, clipped to a circle. Shvabrin whispered something in Pugachev’s ear, and he, without even looking, ordered Peter to hang. Grineva was saved by Savelych, who threw himself at the feet of Pugachev, asking to have mercy on the gentleman's child.
Residents began to swear an impostor. A commandant was dragged into the street. She saw her hanged husband, screamed, and a young Cossack killed her.
Chapter VIII The Uninvited Guest
Grinev finds out that Masha was hid by the horse. Savelich recognizes in Pugachev a drunkard from the inn, to which Peter gave his sheepskin coat.
Pugachev calls Grinev to himself. There he asks Peter to serve faithfully, swearing allegiance to the "sovereign." Grinev refuses the impostor, since he has sworn allegiance to the Empress. Peter's life is now in the grip of the impostor, and it is up to him to release Grinev or execute him. The sincerity of the young man amazes Pugachev, and he lets him go "on all four sides."
Chapter IX Separation
In the morning at the cathedral place, Savelych gives Pugachev a paper, which lists all the good that the robbers of the impostor dragged from Grinyov’s apartment. Pugachev in a fit of generosity spares the old uncle, and leaves the fortress.
Grinev hurries to the priest's house, wanting to see Marya Ivanovna. They say goodbye, Pugachev gives Peter a sheepskin coat and a horse. Shvabrin is appointed the new commander of the fortress.
Chapter X. Siege of the city
A few days later, news came that Pugachev was approaching Orenburg. During the siege of the Orenburg fortress, life there became unbearable. Not a single letter came from the Belogorsk fortress; separation from Masha became intolerable to Grinyov.
One day, Peter receives a letter from Masha. She writes that Shvabrin forces her to marry him, and in case of refusal threatens to hand Masha to the camp to Pugachev. The enraged Peter hastened to the general with a request to go with the soldiers to clear Belogorskaya. The general understands the anger of Grinev, but refuses to allocate soldiers for the siege of the fortress, then Peter decides to act differently.
Chapter XI Rebel Settlement
Peter and Savelich go to Belogorsk fortress. On the way, they are seized by guards and taken to a hut. There Grinyov confesses to Pugachev that he is going to Belogorsk to rid the orphan who is being offended there.
The next morning, Pugachev and Grinev went to the fortress.
Chapter XII The Orphan
In the fortress, Shvabrin says that the girl is sick, that she is his wife. In fact, Masha sat under guard, she was thin and pale, and on the table there was only a jug of water, covered with a piece of bread.
An annoyed Shvabrin reveals the secret of Masha, admits that she is the daughter of a captain. Despite this, Pugachev lets her go with Grinev.
Chapter XIII Arrest
Masha and Peter are being stopped by the guards. In Major Grinev, Zurin recognizes. After talking with him, Peter decides to send Masha and Savelich to the village to his parents, and he remains to serve in the detachment.
At the end of February, Pugachev was defeated, but was not caught, but gathered a new gang and again began to villain. Soon it became known that Pugachev was finally defeated. The war was over, and Grinev could go home. Zurin gave him leave, but on the day of departure, an order came to arrest Petr.
Chapter XIV Court
Grinev was brought to Kazan. The next day, the prison guard announced to Peter that he was being asked to the commission. Shvabrin turned out to be Peter's accuser, claiming that Grinev was Pugachev's spy. In order not to entangle Masha, Grinev kept silent about the reason for his departure from Orenburg.
Meanwhile, Marya Ivanovna was received warmly and cordially by the parents of Grinev. The news of Peter's arrest hit everyone. To save her lover, Masha went to Petersburg.
One morning on a walk, Masha meets a lady. Masha honestly told her about the purpose of her visit to Petersburg - she wants to ask the Empress for mercy on her lover. The women parted, and later the footman announced to Masha that the empress invited her to her.
In the Empress, Masha recognized her new friend. The empress handed Masha a letter of mercy from Peter. That very evening Marya Ivanovna went back to the village.
At the end of 1774, Peter was released from prison, attended the execution of Pugachev, and then returned to the village. Soon they were married with Marya Ivanovna, and their offspring prosper in the Simbirsk province.
