General

The David McDuff translation (1996).


Original timeline of publication

Published in the journal Russki Westnik (Русский вестник)

  1. January 1866: Part 1
  2. February 1866: Part 2
  3. April 1866: Part 3
  4. June 1866: Part 4 Chapters I-IV
  5. July 1866: Part 4 Chapters V-VI and Part 5 Chapters I-III
  6. August 1866: Part 5 Chapters IV-V
  7. November 1866: Part 6 Chapters I-VI
  8. December 1866: Part 6 Chapters VII-VIII and Epilogue

Source


Money in 1865 Russia

Money plays a fundamental role thorough the lifes of the characters
McDuff provides a short overview at the beginning, which is sommuarized below:
  • grosh - 0.5 copeck
  • kopeyka - 1 copeck
  • pyatak - 5 copeck
  • grivennik - 10 copeck
  • dvugrivennyy - 20 copeck
  • poltinnik - 50 copeck
  • zholtyy bilet - 1 rouble, also referred to as yellow ticket/card (in reference to the yellow passport prostitutes had to carry during that time), biletiki ("little tickets")
  • sinie bilety, or "bluebacks" - 5 roubles
  • krasnye bilety, or "redbacks" - 10 roubles
  • raduzhnyy bilet, or "rainbow note" - 100 roubles

Content


Chapter 1

  • Money
  • Sankt Petersburg

Chapter 2

  • Drunkeness and Misery
  • Pawn Shops

Chapter 3

  • Letter from Home
  • Sister engaged

Chapter 4

  • Rage from feeling helpless and dependent on other people

Part 3